Effect of Electric Field on Spin Polarized Current in Ferromagnetic/Organic Semiconductor Systems

Considering the special carriers in organic semiconductors, the spin polarized current under electric field in a ferromagnetic/organic semiconductor system is theoretically studied. Based on the spin-diffusion theory, the current spin polarization under the electric field is obtained. It is found that electric field can enhance the current spin polarization.     

Effect of electric-field on spin transport and spin current in an organic semiconductor system

We use the two-component drift-diffusion model to study the spin density polarization in an organic semiconductor system under an external electric-field. The spin-dependent electrical-conductivity, the drift spin current and the diffusion spin current in the organic semiconductor are self-consistently derived. It is found that the spin current could be strongly influenced by the spin-dependent electrical-conductivity. When the spin-dependent conductivity varies from 0 to 0.5%, the spin current presents a very pronounced change almost three orders in magnitude. The electric-field could effectively enhance the spin-dependent electrical-conductivity and the spin current. Furthermore, the spin-dependent electrical-conductivity is position sensitive, but its position sensitivity goes down while electric-field is larger than about 1 mV/μm.     

Vertex correction of the anisotropic magnetic impurities to the spin polarization of 2D electron gas

In terms of Kubo's formula and Green's function method, for the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC), we study the spin polarization due to the effect from magnetic impurities with anisotropic spin dependent delta type coupling to electrons when an external dc electric field in plane is applied. The vertex correction of impurities in ladder approximation is carried out in the limit of EF?1/τ, Δ. We find that the strength of spin polarization can be significantly modified by vertex correction and the spin polarization is relevant to the anisotropy coefficient γ, but the direction of net spin polarization cannot be changed.     

Disturbance of spin equilibrium by current through the interface of noncollinear ferromagnets

Boundary conditions are derived that determine the penetration of spin current through an interface of two noncollinear ferromagnets with an arbitrary angle between their magnetization vectors. We start from the well-known transformation properties of an electron spin wave functions under the rotation of a quantization axis. It allows directly find the connection between partial electric current densities for different spin subbands of the ferromagnets. No spin scattering is assumed in the near interface region, so that spin conservation takes place when electron intersects the boundary. The continuity conditions are found for partial chemical potential differences in the situation. Spatial distribution of nonequilibrium electron magnetizations is calculated under the spin current flowing through a contact of two semi-infinite ferromagnets. The distribution describes the spin accumulation effect by current and corresponding shift of the potential drop at the interface. These effects appear strongly dependent on the relation between spin contact resistances at the interface.     

Photocurrent spin diode: Electrically controlled sign reversal of current polarization

We report a study of spin-dependent transport through a quantum dot irradiated by continuous circularly polarized light resonant to the electron-heavy hole transition. We use the nonequilibrium Green's function to calculate the spin accumulation, spin-resolved currents, and current polarization in the presence of an external bias and intradot Coulomb interaction. It is found that for a range of external biases sign reversal of the current polarization can be modulated. The system thus operates as a rectifier for spin current polarization. This effect follows from the interplay between the external irradiation and the Coulomb repulsion. The spin-polarized transport through a three-terminal device is also discussed. Spin current with high polarization could be obtained due to spin filter effect.     

Effect of Carrier Differences on Spin Polarized Injection into Organic and Inorganic Semiconductors

Spin polarized injection into organic and inorganic semiconductors are studied theoretically from the spin diffusion theory and Ohm＇s law, and the emphases are placed on the effect of the carrier differences on the current spin polarization. The mobility and the spin-flip time of carriers in organic and inorganic semiconductors are different. From the calculation, it is found that current spin polarization at a ferromagnetic/organic interface is higher than that at a ferromagnetic/inorganic interface because of different carriers in them. Effects of the conductivity matching, the spin dependent interracial resistances, and the bulk spin polarization of the ferromagnetic layer on the spin polarized injection are also discussed.     

Electron-spin polarization in a non-magnetic heterostructure

The spin dependent electron transmission through a non-magnetic III-V semiconductor symmetric well is studied theoretically so as to investigate the output transmission current polarization at zero magnetic field. Transparency of electron transmission is calculated as a function of electron energy as well as the well width, within the one electron band approximation along with the spin-orbit interaction. Enhanced spin-polarized resonant tunneling in the heterostructure due to Dresselhaus and Rashba spin-orbit coupling induced splitting of the resonant level is observed. We predict that a spin-polarized current spontaneously emerges in this heterostructure. This effect could be employed in the fabrication of spin filters, spin injectors and detectors based on non-magnetic semiconductors.     

Spin-polarized transport in one-dimensional waveguide structures with spatially-periodic electronic and magnetic fields

We investigate theoretically the spin-polarized transport in one-dimensional waveguide structure with spatially-periodic electronic and magnetic fields. The interplay of the spin-orbit interaction and in-plane magnetic field significantly modifies the spin-dependent transmission and the spin polarization. The in-plane magnetic fields increase the strength of the Rashba spin-orbit coupling effect for the electric fields along y axis and decrease this effect for reversing the electric fields, even counteract the Rashba spin-orbit coupling effect. It is very interesting to find that we may deduce the strength of the Rashba effect through this phenomenon.     

Spin-dependent current in resonant tunneling diode with ferromagnetic GaMnN layers

The spin-polarized tunneling current through a double barrier resonant tunneling diode (RTD) with ferromagnetic GaMnN emitter/collector is investigated theoretically. Two distinct spin splitting peaks can be observed at current-voltage (I-V) characteristics at low temperature. The spin polarization decreases with the temperature due to the thermal effect of electron density of states. When charge polarization effect is considered at the heterostructure, the spin polarization is enhanced significantly. A highly spin-polarized current can be obtained depending on the polarization charge density.     

The effects of Mn concentration on spin-polarized transport through ZnSe/ZnMnSe/ZnSe heterostructures

We have studied the effects of Mn concentration on the ballistic spin-polarized transport through diluted magnetic semiconductor heterostructures with a single paramagnetic layer. Using a fitted function for zero-field conduction band offset based on the experimental data, we found that the spin current densities strongly depend on the Mn concentration. The magnitude as well as the sign of the electron-spin polarization and the tunnel magnetoresistance can be tuned by varying the Mn concentration, the width of the paramagnetic layer, and the external magnetic field. By an appropriate choice of the Mn concentration and the width of the paramagnetic layer, the degree of spin polarization for the output current can reach 100% and the device can be used as a spin filter.     

Rashba spin-orbit effect on dwell time of electrons tunneling through semiconductor barrier

A study on characteristics of electrons tunneling through semiconductor barrier is evaluated, in which we take into account the effects of Rashba spin-orbit interaction. Our numerical results show that Rashba spin-orbit effect originating from the inversion asymmetry can give rise to the spin polarization. The spin polarization does not increase linearly but shows obvious resonant features as the strength of Rashba spin-orbit coupling increases, and the amplitudes of spin polarization can reach the highest around the first resonant energy level. Furthermore, it is found that electrons with different spin orientations will spend quite different time through the same heterostructures. The difference of the dwell time between spin-up and spin-down electrons arise from the Rashba spin-orbit coupling. And it is also found that the dwell time will reach its maximum at the first resonant energy level. It can be concluded that, in the time domain, the tunneling processes of the spin-up and spin-down electrons can be separated by modulating the strength of Rashba spin-orbit coupling. Study results indicate that Rashba spin-orbit effect can cause a nature spin filter mechanism in the time domain.     

Theoretical model of spin transfer torque in multilayers

We present a model of spin transport in a Co/Cu(1 1 1)/Co pseudo-spin-valve (PSV) structure where current is flowing in the current perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) geometry. The model considers ballistic spin-dependent transmission at the two Co–Cu interfaces, as well as diffusive spin relaxation within the Cu spacer and free Co layer. In the latter, the spin relaxation process is composed of the usual longitudinal spin relaxation due to spin flip scattering, as well as transverse spin relaxation due to spin precession. The resulting spin transfer torque exerted on the moments within the free Co layer is composed of two contributions, the main contribution coming from “absorbed” spins in the interfacial regions. The second contribution arises from the relaxation of spin accumulation within the free Co layer. The calculated critical current density for switching is estimated to be approximately between 3.3×10⁷ and 1.1×10⁸ A/cm², which is in agreement with available experimental results.     

Current and Shot Noise in a Quantum Dot Coupled to Ferromagnetic Leads in the Kondo Regime

Using the Keldysh nonequilibrium Green function technique, we study the current and shot noise spectroscopy of an interacting quantum dot coupled to two ferromagnetic leads with different polarizations in the Kondo regime. General formulas of current and shot noise are obtained, which can be applied in both the parallel （P） and antiparallel （AP） alignment cases. For large polarization values, it is revealed that the behaviour of differential conductance and shot noise are completely different for spin up and spin down configurations in the P alignment case. However, the differential conductance and shot noise have similar properties for different spin configurations in the P alignment case with the small polarization value and in the AP alignment case with any polarization value.     

Modulation of Spin Distribution and Spin Transport by a Magnetic Field in a Quasi-One-Dimensional System with Spin--Orbit Coupling

The distributions of spin and currents modulated by magnetic field in a transverse parabolic confined two-dimensional electronic system with a Rashba spin--orbit coupling have been studied numerically. It is shown that the spin accumulation and the spin related current are generated by magnetic field if the spin--orbit coupling is presented. The distributions of charge and spin currents are antisymmetrical along the cross-section of confined system. A transversely applied electric field does not influence the characteristic behaviour of charge- and spin-dependent properties.     

Spin injection-driven switching in a magnetic junction

We investigate a perpendicular electric current passing through a “ferromagnetic nanojunction”, that is through some layered nanosized structure of spin-valve type, containing two ferromagnetic metallic layers. Spacer may be used between the metallic layers to prevent the rotation of the moving spin phases. Such an arrangement is typical for spin valves: one of the metallic layers has strongly pinned magnetic lattice and the other one has free magnetic lattice and free mobile spins. Further the conditions are derived to provide a very high nonequilibrium spin injection level. It appears that the so-called spin resistances of the constitutive layers should be in definite relations to each other. These relations lead to the situation where the spin injection becomes dominant and significantly suppresses the “ordinary” spin-transfer torque. As a result, the threshold current becomes lowered down to 2-3 and even more orders of magnitude.     

Effect of structure anisotropy on low temperature spin dynamics in quantum wells

Spin dynamics of two-dimensional electron gas confined in an asymmetrical quantum well is studied theoretically in the regime where the scattering frequency is comparable with the spin precession frequency due to the conduction band spin splitting. The spin polarization is shown to demonstrate quantum beats. If the spin splitting is determined by both bulk and structural asymmetry mechanisms the beats are damped at zero temperature even in the absence of a scattering. We calculate the decay of spin beats due to the thermal broadening of the electron distribution function and electron scattering. The magnetic field applied along the structure growth axis is shown to increase the frequency of the beats and shift system towards the collision dominated regime.     

Non-Abelian hydrodynamics and the flow of spin in spin-orbit coupled substances

Motivated by the heavy ion collision experiments there is much activity in studying the hydrodynamical properties of non-Abelian (quark-gluon) plasmas. A major question is how to deal with color currents. Although not widely appreciated, quite similar issues arise in condensed matter physics in the context of the transport of spins in the presence of spin-orbit coupling. The key insight is that the Pauli Hamiltonian governing the leading relativistic corrections in condensed matter systems can be rewritten in a language of SU(2) covariant derivatives where the role of the non-Abelian gauge fields is taken by the physical electromagnetic fields: the Pauli system can be viewed as Yang-Mills quantum-mechanics in a ‘fixed frame’, and it can be viewed as an ‘analogous system’ for non-Abelian transport in the same spirit as Volovik’s identification of the He superfluids as analogies for quantum fields in curved space time. We take a similar perspective as Jackiw and coworkers in their recent study of non-Abelian hydrodynamics, twisting the interpretation into the ‘fixed frame’ context, to find out what this means for spin transport in condensed matter systems. We present an extension of Jackiw’s scheme: non-Abelian hydrodynamical currents can be factored in a ‘non-coherent’ classical part, and a coherent part requiring macroscopic non-Abelian quantum entanglement. Hereby it becomes particularly manifest that non-Abelian fluid flow is a much richer affair than familiar hydrodynamics, and this permits us to classify the various spin transport phenomena in condensed matter physics in an unifying framework. The “particle based hydrodynamics” of Jackiw et al. is recognized as the high temperature spin transport associated with semiconductor spintronics. In this context the absence of faithful hydrodynamics is well known, but in our formulation it is directly associated with the fact that the covariant conservation of non-Abelian currents turns into a disastrous non-conservation of the incoherent spin currents of the high temperature limit. We analyze the quantum-mechanical single particle currents of relevance to mesoscopic transport with as highlight the Ahronov-Casher effect, where we demonstrate that the intricacies of the non-Abelian transport render this effect to be much more fragile than its abelian analog, the Ahronov-Bohm effect. We subsequently focus on spin flows protected by order parameters. At present there is much interest in multiferroics where non-collinear magnetic order triggers macroscopic electric polarization via the spin-orbit coupling. We identify this to be a peculiarity of coherent non-Abelian hydrodynamics: although there is no net particle transport, the spin entanglement is transported in these magnets and the coherent spin ‘super’ current in turn translates into electric fields with the bonus that due to the requirement of single valuedness of the magnetic order parameter a true hydrodynamics is restored. Finally, ‘fixed-frame’ coherent non-Abelian transport comes to its full glory in spin-orbit coupled ‘spin superfluids’, and we demonstrate a new effect: the trapping of electrical line charge being a fixed frame, non-Abelian analog of the familiar magnetic flux trapping by normal superconductors. The only known physical examples of such spin superfluids are the ³He A- and B-phase where unfortunately the spin-orbit coupling is so weak that it appears impossible to observe these effects.     

Circular photogalvanic effect at inter-band excitation in semiconductor quantum wells

We observed a circular photogalvanic effect (CPGE) in GaAs quantum wells at inter-band excitation. The spectral dependence of the CPGE is measured together with that of the polarization degree of the time-resolved photoluminescence. A theoretical model takes into account spin splitting of conduction and valence bands.     

Selective spin injection controlled by electrical way in ferromagnet/quantum dot/semiconductor system

Selective and large polarization of current injected into semiconductor (SC) is predicted in ferromagnet (FM)/quantum dot (QD)/SC system by varying the gate voltage above the Kondo temperature. In addition, spin-dependent Kondo effect is also revealed below Kondo temperature. It is found that Kondo resonances for up spin state are suppressed with increasing of the polarization P of the FM lead. While the down one is enhanced. The Kondo peak for up spin is disappear at P=1.     

Influence of in-plane magnetic field on spin polarization in the presence of the oft-neglected k-Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling

The influence of in-plane magnetic field on spin polarization in the presence of the oft-neglected k³-Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling was investigated. The k³-Dresselhaus term can produce a limited spin polarization. The in-plane magnetic field plays a great role in the tunneling process. It can generate the perfect spin polarization of the electrons and the ideal transmission coefficient for spin up and down simultaneously. In energy scale, complete separation between spin up and down resonance was obtained by a relatively higher in-plane magnetic field while a comparatively lower in-plane magnetic field vanishes the spin separation. On the other hand, the spin relaxation can be suppressed by compensating the oft-neglected k³-Dresselhaus spin orbit coupling using a relatively lower in-plane magnetic field.