410 research outputs found
Thermo-Electric Properties of Quantum Point Contacts
I. Introduction
II. Theoretical background (Landauer-Buttiker formalism of
thermo-electricity, Quantum point contacts as ideal electron waveguides,
Saddle-shaped potential)
III. Experiments (Thermopower, Thermal conductance, Peltier effect)
IV. ConclusionsComment: #4 of a series of 4 legacy reviews on QPC'
Detection of electrical spin injection by light-emitting diodes in top- and side-emission configuration
Detection of the degree of circular polarization of the electroluminescence
of a light-emitting diode fitted with a spin injecting contact (a spin-LED)
allows for a direct determination of the spin polarization of the injected
carriers. Here, we compare the detection efficiency of (Al,Ga)As spin-LEDs
fitted with a (Zn,Be,Mn)Se spin injector in top- and side-emission
configuration. In contrast with top emission, we cannot detect the electrical
spin injection in side emission from analysing the degree of circular
polarization of the electroluminescence. To reduce resonant optical pumping of
quantum-well excitons in the side emission, we have analysed structures with
mesa sizes as small as 1 micron.Comment: 15 pages with 3 figure
Effects of Electron-Electron Scattering on Electron-Beam Propagation in a Two-Dimensional Electron-Gas
We have studied experimentally and theoretically the influence of
electron-electron collisions on the propagation of electron beams in a
two-dimensional electron gas for excess injection energies ranging from zero up
to the Fermi energy. We find that the detector signal consists of
quasiballistic electrons, which either have not undergone any electron-electron
collisions or have only been scattered at small angles. Theoretically, the
small-angle scattering exhibits distinct features that can be traced back to
the reduced dimensionality of the electron system. A number of nonlinear
effects, also related to the two-dimensional character of the system, are
discussed. In the simplest situation, the heating of the electron gas by the
high-energy part of the beam leads to a weakening of the signal of
quasiballistic electrons and to the appearance of thermovoltage. This results
in a nonmonotonic dependence of the detector signal on the intensity of the
injected beam, as observed experimentally.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure
Electric field control of magnetization dynamics in ZnMnSe/ZnBeSe diluted-magnetic-semiconductor heterostructures
We show that the magnetization dynamics in diluted magnetic semiconductors
can be controlled separately from the static magnetization by means of an
electric field. The spin-lattice relaxation (SLR) time of magnetic Mn2+ ions
was tuned by two orders of magnitude by a gate voltage applied to n-type
modulation-doped (Zn,Mn)Se/(Zn,Be)Se quantum wells. The effect is based on
providing an additional channel for SLR by a two-dimensional electron gas
(2DEG). The static magnetization responsible for the giant Zeeman spin
splitting of excitons was not influenced by the 2DEG density
Molecular-beam epitaxy of (Zn,Mn)Se on Si(100)
We have investigated the growth by molecular-beam epitaxy of the II-VI
diluted magnetic semiconductor (Zn,Mn)Se on As-passivated Si(100) substrates.
The growth start has been optimized by using low-temperature epitaxy. Surface
properties were assessed by Nomarski and scanning electron microscopy. Optical
properties of (Zn,Mn)Se have been studied by photoluminescence and a giant
Zeeman splitting of up to 30 meV has been observed. Our observations indicate a
high crystalline quality of the epitaxial films.Comment: To be published in Applied Physics Letter
Hydrodynamic electron flow in high-mobility wires
Hydrodynamic electron flow is experimentally observed in the differential
resistance of electrostatically defined wires in the two-dimensional electron
gas in (Al,Ga)As heterostructures. In these experiments current heating is used
to induce a controlled increase in the number of electron-electron collisions
in the wire. The interplay between the partly diffusive wire-boundary
scattering and the electron-electron scattering leads first to an increase and
then to a decrease of the resistance of the wire with increasing current. These
effects are the electronic analog of Knudsen and Poiseuille flow in gas
transport, respectively. The electron flow is studied theoretically through a
Boltzmann transport equation, which includes impurity, electron-electron, and
boundary scattering. A solution is obtained for arbitrary scattering
parameters. By calculation of flow profiles inside the wire it is demonstrated
how normal flow evolves into Poiseuille flow. The boundary-scattering
parameters for the gate-defined wires can be deduced from the magnitude of the
Knudsen effect. Good agreement between experiment and theory is obtained.Comment: 25 pages, RevTeX, 9 figure
Angle-Resolved Spectroscopy of Electron-Electron Scattering in a 2D System
Electron-beam propagation experiments have been used to determine the energy
and angle dependence of electron-electron (ee) scattering a two-dimensional
electron gas (2DEG) in a very direct manner by a new spectroscopy method. The
experimental results are in good agreement with recent theories and provide
direct evidence for the differences between ee-scattering in a 2DEG as compared
with 3D systems. Most conspicuous is the increased importance of small-angle
scattering in a 2D system, resulting in a reduced (but energy-dependent)
broadening of the electron beam.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Voltage-Controlled Spin Selection in a Magnetic Resonant Tunnelling Diode
We have fabricated all II-VI semiconductor resonant tunneling diodes based on
the (Zn,Mn,Be)Se material system, containing dilute magnetic material in the
quantum well, and studied their current-voltage characteristics. When subjected
to an external magnetic field the resulting spin splitting of the levels in the
quantum well leads to a splitting of the transmission resonance into two
separate peaks. This is interpreted as evidence of tunneling transport through
spin polarized levels, and could be the first step towards a voltage controlled
spin filter.Comment: To be published in Phys. Rev. Let
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