Current-induced spin polarization in nonmagnetic semiconductor junctions

Yunong Qi; Michael E Flatté

doi:10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0607354

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Current-induced spin polarization in nonmagnetic semiconductor junctions

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Current-induced spin polarization in nonmagnetic semiconductor junctions

Yunong Qi and Michael E Flatté

07/14/2006

DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0607354

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Abstract

Spontaneous spin polarization of the electrical current flowing through nonmagnetic semiconductor junctions can be generated by carrier scattering processes that are independent of the carrier spin. The two required elements for current-induced spin polarization are (1) the presence of built-in spatially-varying electric fields in the junction and (2) energy-dependent carrier scattering processes. Spin-orbit interactions are not required for this effect, thus it should occur in materials like silicon that lack significant spin-orbit interactions. Approximate analytic expressions as well as detailed numerical simulations of the time-dependent nonlinear spin transport in a GaAs junction strongly suggest that the recent experimental observation of current-induced spin polarization in this system [Y. Kato, R. C. Myers, A. C. Gossard, and D. D. Awschalom, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 176601 (2004)] may be explained by this effect.

Physics - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

Details

Title: Subtitle: Current-induced spin polarization in nonmagnetic semiconductor junctions
Creators: Yunong Qi
Michael E Flatté
Resource Type: Preprint
DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0607354
Language: English
Date posted: 07/14/2006
Academic Unit: Electrical and Computer Engineering; Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984442200902771

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