Binding energy of shallow donors in a quantum well in the presence of a tilted magnetic field

We present results of variational calculations of the binding energy of a neutral donor in a quantum well in the presence of a magnetic field tilted relative to the QW plane. Assuming that the donor is located in the center of the QW, we perform calculations for parameters typical of a II-VI wide-gap semiconductor heterostructure, using as an example the case of a rectangular CdTe quantum well with CdMgTe barriers. We present the dependence of the binding energy of a neutral donor on the tilt angle and on the magnitude of the applied magnetic filed. As a key result, we show that measurement of the binding energy of a donor at two angles of the magnetic field with respect to the quantum well plane can be used to unambiguously determined the conduction band offset of the materials building up heterostructure.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Interlayer Exchange Coupling Mediated by Valence Band Electrons

The interlayer exchange coupling mediated by valence band electrons in all-semiconductor IV-VI magnetic/nonmagnetic superlattices is studied theoretically. A 3D tight-binding model, accounting for the band and magnetic structure of the constituent superlattice components is used to calculate the spin-dependent part of the total electronic energy. The antiferromagnetic coupling between ferromagnetic layers in EuS/PbS superlattices is obtained, in agreement with the experimental evidences. The results obtained for the coupling between antiferromagnetic layers in EuTe/PbTe superlattices are also presented.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, to be submitted to Phys.Rev.

Information Infrastructure for Cooperative Research in Neuroscience

The paper describes a framework for efficient sharing of knowledge between research groups, which have been working for several years without flaws. The obstacles in cooperation are connected primarily with the lack of platforms for effective exchange of experimental data, models, and algorithms. The solution to these problems is proposed by construction of the platform (EEG.pl) with the semantic aware search scheme between portals. The above approach implanted in the international cooperative projects like NEUROMATH may bring the significant progress in designing efficient methods for neuroscience research

Growth and properties of ferromagnetic In(1-x)Mn(x)Sb alloys

We discuss a new narrow-gap ferromagnetic (FM) semiconductor alloy, In(1-x)Mn(x)Sb, and its growth by low-temperature molecular-beam epitaxy. The magnetic properties were investigated by direct magnetization measurements, electrical transport, magnetic circular dichroism, and the magneto-optical Kerr effect. These data clearly indicate that In(1-x)Mn(x)Sb possesses all the attributes of a system with carrier-mediated FM interactions, including well-defined hysteresis loops, a cusp in the temperature dependence of the resistivity, strong negative magnetoresistance, and a large anomalous Hall effect. The Curie temperatures in samples investigated thus far range up to 8.5 K, which are consistent with a mean-field-theory simulation of the carrier-induced ferromagnetism based on the 8-band effective band-orbital method.Comment: Invited talk at 11th International Conference on Narrow Gap Semiconductors, Buffalo, New York, U.S.A., June 16 - 20, 200

Annealing-Dependent Magnetic Depth Profile in Ga[1-x]Mn[x]As

We have studied the depth-dependent magnetic and structural properties of as-grown and optimally annealed Ga[1-x]Mn[x]As films using polarized neutron reflectometry. In addition to increasing total magnetization, the annealing process was observed to produce a significantly more homogeneous distribution of the magnetization. This difference in the films is attributed to the redistribution of Mn at interstitial sites during the annealing process. Also, we have seen evidence of significant magnetization depletion at the surface of both as-grown and annealed films.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Ferromagnetic semiconductors

The current status and prospects of research on ferromagnetism in semiconductors are reviewed. The question of the origin of ferromagnetism in europium chalcogenides, chromium spinels and, particularly, in diluted magnetic semiconductors is addressed. The nature of electronic states derived from 3d of magnetic impurities is discussed in some details. Results of a quantitative comparison between experimental and theoretical results, notably for Mn-based III-V and II-VI compounds, are presented. This comparison demonstrates that the current theory of the exchange interactions mediated by holes in the valence band describes correctly the values of Curie temperatures T_C magnetic anisotropy, domain structure, and magnetic circular dichroism. On this basis, chemical trends are examined and show to lead to the prediction of semiconductor systems with T_C that may exceed room temperature, an expectation that are being confirmed by recent findings. Results for materials containing magnetic ions other than Mn are also presented emphasizing that the double exchange involving hoping through d states may operate in those systems.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures; special issue of Semicon. Sci. Technol. on semiconductor spintronic

Magnetic interactions in EuTe epitaxial layers and EuTe/PbTe superlattices

The magnetic properties of antiferromagnetic (AFM) EuTe epitaxial layers and short period EuTe/PbTe superlattices (SLs), grown by molecular beam epitaxy on (111) BaF$_2$ substrates, were studied by magnetization and neutron diffraction measurements. Considerable changes of the N\'eel temperature as a function of the EuTe layer thickness as well as of the strain state were found. A mean field model, taking into account the variation of the exchange constants with the strain-induced lattice distortions, and the nearest neighbor environment of a Eu atoms, was developed to explain the observed $T_{\text N}$ changes in wide range of samples. Pronounced interlayer magnetic correlations have been revealed by neutron diffraction in EuTe/PbTe SLs with PbTe spacer thickness up to 60 \AA. The observed diffraction spectra were analyzed, in a kinematical approximation, assuming partial interlayer correlations characterized by an appropriate correlation parameter. The formation of interlayer correlations between the AFM EuTe layers across the nonmagnetic PbTe spacer was explained within a framework of a tight-binding model. In this model, the interlayer coupling stems from the dependence of the total electronic energy of the EuTe/PbTe SL on the spin configurations in adjacent EuTe layers. The influence of the EuTe and PbTe layer thickness fluctuations, inherent in the epitaxial growth process, on magnetic properties and interlayer coupling is discussed.Comment: 17 pages, 19 figures, accepted to PR

Magnetic susceptibilities of diluted magnetic semiconductors and anomalous Hall-voltage noise

The carrier spin and impurity spin densities in diluted magnetic semiconductors are considered using a semiclassical approach. Equations of motions for the spin densities and the carrier spin current density in the paramagnetic phase are derived, exhibiting their coupled diffusive dynamics. The dynamical spin susceptibilities are obtained from these equations. The theory holds for p-type and n-type semiconductors doped with magnetic ions of arbitrary spin quantum number. Spin-orbit coupling in the valence band is shown to lead to anisotropic spin diffusion and to a suppression of the Curie temperature in p-type materials. As an application we derive the Hall-voltage noise in the paramagnetic phase. This quantity is critically enhanced close to the Curie temperature due to the contribution from the anomalous Hall effect.Comment: 18 pages, 1 figure include

First principles study of the origin and nature of ferromagnetism in (Ga,Mn)As

The properties of diluted Ga$_{1-x}$Mn$_x$As are calculated for a wide range of Mn concentrations within the local spin density approximation of density functional theory. M\"ulliken population analyses and orbital-resolved densities of states show that the configuration of Mn in GaAs is compatible with either 3d$^5$ or 3d$^6$, however the occupation is not integer due to the large $p$-$d$ hybridization between the Mn $d$ states and the valence band of GaAs. The spin splitting of the conduction band of GaAs has a mean field-like linear variation with the Mn concentration and indicates ferromagnetic coupling with the Mn ions. In contrast the valence band is antiferromagnetically coupled with the Mn impurities and the spin splitting is not linearly dependent on the Mn concentration. This suggests that the mean field approximation breaks down in the case of Mn-doped GaAs and corrections due to multiple scattering must be considered. We calculate these corrections within a simple free electron model and find good agreement with our {\it ab initio} results if a large exchange constant ($N\beta=-4.5$eV) is assumed.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figure

Controlling Curie temperature in (Ga,Ms)As through location of the Fermi level within the impurity band

The ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As has emerged as the most studied material for prototype applications in semiconductor spintronics. Because ferromagnetism in (Ga,Mn)As is hole-mediated, the nature of the hole states has direct and crucial bearing on its Curie temperature TC. It is vigorously debated, however, whether holes in (Ga,Mn)As reside in the valence band or in an impurity band. In this paper we combine results of channeling experiments, which measure the concentrations both of Mn ions and of holes relevant to the ferromagnetic order, with magnetization, transport, and magneto-optical data to address this issue. Taken together, these measurements provide strong evidence that it is the location of the Fermi level within the impurity band that determines TC through determining the degree of hole localization. This finding differs drastically from the often accepted view that TC is controlled by valence band holes, thus opening new avenues for achieving higher values of TC.Comment: 5 figures, supplementary material include