Spin-polarized electron transport in ferromagnet/semiconductor hybrid structures induced by photon excitation

A. Hirohata; S.N. Holmes; Y.B. Xu; C.M. Guertler; J.A.C. Bland

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.63.104425

Spin-polarized electron transport in ferromagnet/semiconductor hybrid structures induced by photon excitation

A. Hirohata, S.N. Holmes, Y.B. Xu, C.M. Guertler, J.A.C. Bland

Electronic Engineering

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Abstract

Circularly polarized light was used to excite electrons with a spin polarization perpendicular to the film plane in 3 nm Au/5 nm Ni80Fe20/GaAs(100) structures with doping density in the range 10(23) to 10(25) m(-3). At negative bias a helicity-dependent photocurrent dependent upon the magnetization configuration of the film and the Schottky barrier height was detected. The helicity-dependent photocurrent polarization decreases with increasing doping density and has the same variation with photon energy as found for the polarization of photoexcited electrons in GaAs. The results provide unambiguous evidence of spin-dependent electron transport through the NiFe/GaAs interface and show that the Schottky barrier height controls the spin-dependent electron current passing from the semiconductor to the ferromagnet. © 2001 The American Physical Society.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	Art. No. 104425
Journal	Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume	63
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.63.104425
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2001

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10.1103/PhysRevB.63.104425

Cite this

@article{7c30416288974c149ffca776865782eb,

title = "Spin-polarized electron transport in ferromagnet/semiconductor hybrid structures induced by photon excitation",

abstract = "Circularly polarized light was used to excite electrons with a spin polarization perpendicular to the film plane in 3 nm Au/5 nm Ni80Fe20/GaAs(100) structures with doping density in the range 10(23) to 10(25) m(-3). At negative bias a helicity-dependent photocurrent dependent upon the magnetization configuration of the film and the Schottky barrier height was detected. The helicity-dependent photocurrent polarization decreases with increasing doping density and has the same variation with photon energy as found for the polarization of photoexcited electrons in GaAs. The results provide unambiguous evidence of spin-dependent electron transport through the NiFe/GaAs interface and show that the Schottky barrier height controls the spin-dependent electron current passing from the semiconductor to the ferromagnet. {\textcopyright} 2001 The American Physical Society.",

author = "A. Hirohata and S.N. Holmes and Y.B. Xu and C.M. Guertler and J.A.C. Bland",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2001 The American Physical Society. Available from the author's web site (Associated URL field).",

year = "2001",

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day = "1",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevB.63.104425",

language = "English",

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T1 - Spin-polarized electron transport in ferromagnet/semiconductor hybrid structures induced by photon excitation

AU - Hirohata, A.

AU - Holmes, S.N.

AU - Xu, Y.B.

AU - Guertler, C.M.

AU - Bland, J.A.C.

PY - 2001/3/1

Y1 - 2001/3/1

N2 - Circularly polarized light was used to excite electrons with a spin polarization perpendicular to the film plane in 3 nm Au/5 nm Ni80Fe20/GaAs(100) structures with doping density in the range 10(23) to 10(25) m(-3). At negative bias a helicity-dependent photocurrent dependent upon the magnetization configuration of the film and the Schottky barrier height was detected. The helicity-dependent photocurrent polarization decreases with increasing doping density and has the same variation with photon energy as found for the polarization of photoexcited electrons in GaAs. The results provide unambiguous evidence of spin-dependent electron transport through the NiFe/GaAs interface and show that the Schottky barrier height controls the spin-dependent electron current passing from the semiconductor to the ferromagnet. © 2001 The American Physical Society.

AB - Circularly polarized light was used to excite electrons with a spin polarization perpendicular to the film plane in 3 nm Au/5 nm Ni80Fe20/GaAs(100) structures with doping density in the range 10(23) to 10(25) m(-3). At negative bias a helicity-dependent photocurrent dependent upon the magnetization configuration of the film and the Schottky barrier height was detected. The helicity-dependent photocurrent polarization decreases with increasing doping density and has the same variation with photon energy as found for the polarization of photoexcited electrons in GaAs. The results provide unambiguous evidence of spin-dependent electron transport through the NiFe/GaAs interface and show that the Schottky barrier height controls the spin-dependent electron current passing from the semiconductor to the ferromagnet. © 2001 The American Physical Society.

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevB.63.104425

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevB.63.104425

M3 - Article

SN - 2469-9969

SN - 1550-235X

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SP - Art. No. 104425

JO - Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

JF - Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

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