Basic obstacle for electrical spin-injection from a ferromagnetic metal
  into a diffusive semiconductor

A. G. Aronov; A. G. Aronov; A. T. Filip; B. J. van Wees; D. Ferrand; D. Hägele; E. H. Rhoderick; F. G. Monzon; F. J. Jedema; G. A. Prinz; G. Schmidt; H. X. Tang; J. M. Kikkawa; J.-H. Park; K. P. Kämper; L. W. Molenkamp; P. C. van Son; P. R. Hammar; R. A. de Groot; R. Fiederling; S. Datta; T. Valet; W. Y. Lee; Y. Ohno

research

Basic obstacle for electrical spin-injection from a ferromagnetic metal into a diffusive semiconductor

Authors: A. G. Aronov
A. G. Aronov
A. T. Filip
B. J. van Wees
D. Ferrand
D. Hägele
E. H. Rhoderick
F. G. Monzon
F. J. Jedema
G. A. Prinz
G. Schmidt
H. X. Tang
J. M. Kikkawa
J.-H. Park
K. P. Kämper
L. W. Molenkamp
P. C. van Son
P. R. Hammar
R. A. de Groot
R. Fiederling
S. Datta
T. Valet
W. Y. Lee
Y. Ohno
Publication date: 1 January 2000
Publisher: 'American Physical Society (APS)'
Doi

Abstract

We have calculated the spin-polarization effects of a current in a two dimensional electron gas which is contacted by two ferromagnetic metals. In the purely diffusive regime, the current may indeed be spin-polarized. However, for a typical device geometry the degree of spin-polarization of the current is limited to less than 0.1%, only. The change in device resistance for parallel and antiparallel magnetization of the contacts is up to quadratically smaller, and will thus be difficult to detect.Comment: Revtex, 4 pages, 3 figures (eps), Definition of spin pilarization changed to standard definition in GMR, some straight forward algebra removed. To appear as PRB Rap. Comm. August 15t