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Analysis of the Transport Process Providing Spin Injection through an Fe/AlGaAs Schottky Barrier

A. T. Hanbicki·O. M. J. van t Erve·R. Magno·G. Kioseoglou·C. H. Li·B. T. Jonker·G. Itskos·R. Mallory·M. Yasar·A. Petrou
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Abstract

Electron spin polarizations of 32% are obtained in a GaAs quantum well via electrical injection through a reverse-biased Fe/AlGaAs Schottky contact. An analysis of the transport data using the Rowell criteria demonstrates that single step tunneling is the dominant transport mechanism. The current-voltage data show a clear zero-bias anomaly and phonon signatures corresponding to the GaAs-like and AlAs-like longitudinal-optical phonon modes of the AlGaAs barrier, providing further evidence for tunneling. These results provide experimental confirmation of several theoretical analyses indicating that tunneling enables significant spin injection from a metal into a semiconductor.

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A. T. Hanbicki, O. M. J. van t Erve, R. Magno, G. Kioseoglou, C. H. Li, B. T. Jonker, G. Itskos, R. Mallory, M. Yasar, A. Petrou. 2003-02-11. Analysis of the Transport Process Providing Spin Injection through an Fe/AlGaAs Schottky Barrier. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1580631

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