Spin filtering and magnetoresistance in ballistic tunnel junctions

We theoretically investigate magnetoresistance (MR) effects in connection with spin filtering in quantum-coherent transport through tunnel junctions based on non-magnetic/semimagnetic heterostructures. We find that spin filtering in conjunction with the suppression/enhancement of the spin-dependent Fermi seas in semimagnetic contacts gives rise to (i) spin-split kinks in the MR of single barriers and (ii) a robust beating pattern in the MR of double barriers with a semimagnetic well. We believe these are unique signatures for quantum filtering.Comment: Added references + corrected typo

Nonmonotonic inelastic tunneling spectra due to surface spin excitations in ferromagnetic junctions

The paper addresses inelastic spin-flip tunneling accompanied by surface spin excitations (magnons) in ferromagnetic junctions. The inelastic tunneling current is proportional to the magnon density of states which is energy-independent for the surface waves and, for this reason, cannot account for the bias-voltage dependence of the observed inelastic tunneling spectra. This paper shows that the bias-voltage dependence of the tunneling spectra can arise from the tunneling matrix elements of the electron-magnon interaction. These matrix elements are derived from the Coulomb exchange interaction using the itinerant-electron model of magnon-assisted tunneling. The results for the inelastic tunneling spectra, based on the nonequilibrium Green's function calculations, are presented for both parallel and antiparallel magnetizations in the ferromagnetic leads.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, version as publishe

Oscillating magnetoresistance in diluted magnetic semiconductor barrier structures

Ballistic spin polarized transport through diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) single and double barrier structures is investigated theoretically using a two-component model. The tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of the system exhibits oscillating behavior when the magnetic field are varied. An interesting beat pattern in the TMR and spin polarization is found for different NMS/DMS double barrier structures which arises from an interplay between the spin-up and spin-down electron channels which are splitted by the s-d exchange interaction.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Modelling of Optical Detection of Spin-Polarized Carrier Injection into Light-Emitting Devices

We investigate the emission of multimodal polarized light from Light Emitting Devices due to spin-aligned carriers injection. The results are derived through operator Langevin equations, which include thermal and carrier-injection fluctuations, as well as non-radiative recombination and electronic g-factor temperature dependence. We study the dynamics of the optoelectronic processes and show how the temperature-dependent g-factor and magnetic field affect the polarization degree of the emitted light. In addition, at high temperatures, thermal fluctuation reduces the efficiency of the optoelectronic detection method for measuring spin-polarization degree of carrier injection into non-magnetic semicondutors.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, replaced by revised version. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Radiation Protection Aspects of the Linac Coherent Light Source Front End Enclosure

The Front End Enclosure (FEE) of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is a shielding housing located between the electron dump area and the first experimental hutch. The upstream part of the FEE hosts the commissioning diagnostics for the FEL beam. In the downstream part of the FEE, two sets of grazing incidence mirror and several collimators are used to direct the beam to one of the experimental stations and reduce the bremsstrahlung background and the hard component of the spontaneous radiation spectrum. This paper addresses the beam loss assumptions and radiation sources entering the FEE used for the design of the FEE shielding using the Monte-Carlo code FLUKA. The beam containment system prevents abnormal levels of radiations inside the FEE and ensures that the beam remains in its intended path is also described

Time-Dependent Spintronic Transport and Current-Induced Spin Transfer Torque in Magnetic Tunnel Junctions

The responses of the electrical current and the current-induced spin transfer torque (CISTT) to an ac bias in addition to a dc bias in a magnetic tunnel junction are investigated by means of the time-dependent nonquilibrium Green function technique. The time-averaged current (time-averaged CISTT) is formulated in the form of a summation of dc current (dc CISTT) multiplied by products of Bessel functions with the energy levels shifted by $m\hbar \omega _{0}$. The tunneling current can be viewed as to happen between the photonic sidebands of the two ferromagnets. The electrons can pass through the barrier easily under high frequencies but difficultly under low frequencies. The tunnel magnetoresistance almost does not vary with an ac field. It is found that the spin transfer torque, still being proportional to the electrical current under an ac bias, can be changed by varying frequency. Low frequencies could yield a rapid decrease of the spin transfer torque, while a large ac signal leads to both decrease of the electrical current and the spin torque. If only an ac bias is present, the spin transfer torque is sharply enhanced at the particular amplitude and frequency of the ac bias. A nearly linear relation between such an amplitude and frequency is observed.Comment: 13 pages,8 figure

Anatomy of Spin-Transfer Torque

Spin-transfer torques occur in magnetic heterostructures because the transverse component of a spin current that flows from a non-magnet into a ferromagnet is absorbed at the interface. We demonstrate this fact explicitly using free electron models and first principles electronic structure calculations for real material interfaces. Three distinct processes contribute to the absorption: (1) spin-dependent reflection and transmission; (2) rotation of reflected and transmitted spins; and (3) spatial precession of spins in the ferromagnet. When summed over all Fermi surface electrons, these processes reduce the transverse component of the transmitted and reflected spin currents to nearly zero for most systems of interest. Therefore, to a good approximation, the torque on the magnetization is proportional to the transverse piece of the incoming spin current.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Interaction effects at the magnetic-field induced metal-insulator transition in Si/SiGe superlattices

A metal-insulator transition was induced by in-plane magnetic fields up to 27 T in homogeneously Sb-doped Si/SiGe superlattice structures. The localisation is not observed for perpendicular magnetic fields. A comparison with magnetoconductivity investigations in the weakly localised regime shows that the delocalising effect originates from the interaction-induced spin-triplet term in the particle-hole diffusion channel. It is expected that this term, possibly together with the singlet particle-particle contribution, is of general importance in disordered n-type Si bulk and heterostructures.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, Solid State Communications, in prin

Coherent spin valve phenomena and electrical spin injection in ferromagnetic/semiconductor/ferromagnetic junctions

Coherent quantum transport in ferromagnetic/ semiconductor/ ferromagnetic junctions is studied theoretically within the Landauer framework of ballistic transport. We show that quantum coherence can have unexpected implications for spin injection and that some intuitive spintronic concepts which are founded in semi-classical physics no longer apply: A quantum spin-valve (QSV) effect occurs even in the absence of a net spin polarized current flowing through the device, unlike in the classical regime. The converse effect also arises, i.e. a zero spin-valve signal for a non-vanishing spin-current. We introduce new criteria useful for analyzing quantum and classical spin transport phenomena and the relationships between them. The effects on QSV behavior of spin-dependent electron transmission at the interfaces, interface Schottky barriers, Rashba spin-orbit coupling and temperature, are systematically investigated. While the signature of the QSV is found to be sensitive to temperature, interestingly, that of its converse is not. We argue that the QSV phenomenon can have important implications for the interpretation of spin-injection in quantum spintronic experiments with spin-valve geometries.Comment: 15 pages including 11 figures. To appear in PR

Anisotropic exchange interaction of localized conduction-band electrons in semiconductor structures

The spin-orbit interaction in semiconductors is shown to result in an anisotropic contribution into the exchange Hamiltonian of a pair of localized conduction-band electrons. The anisotropic exchange interaction exists in semiconductor structures which are not symmetric with respect to spatial inversion, for instance in bulk zinc-blend semiconductors. The interaction has both symmetric and antisymmetric parts with respect to permutation of spin components. The antisymmetric (Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya) interaction is the strongest one. It contributes significantly into spin relaxation of localized electrons; in particular, it governs low-temperature spin relaxation in n-GaAs with the donor concentration near 10^16cm-3. The interaction must be allowed for in designing spintronic devices, especially spin-based quantum computers, where it may be a major source of decoherence and errors