Tse-Ming Chen

Transport in a gated Al0.18Ga0.82N/GaN electron system

We have investigated the low-temperature transport properties of front-gated Al0.18Ga0.82N/GaN heterostructures. At zero gate voltage, the Hall mobility increases with decreasing temperature (20 K⩽T⩽190 K) due to a reduction in phonon scattering. For T⩽20 K, the mobility decreases with decreasing temperature. This is due to weak localization in a weakly disordered two-dimensional system. By changing the applied gate voltage, we can vary the carrier density n from 3.11×1012 to 6.95×1012 cm−2 in our system. The carrier density shows a linear dependence on the applied gate voltage, consistent with a simple parallel-plate capacitor model. The average distance between the GaN electron system and the AlGaN/GaN interface is estimated to be 240 A. At high carrier densities (n>4.65×1012 cm−2), the measured mobility (μ) is found to be a decreasing function of carrier density as μ∼n−0.31. Loss of mobility with increasing carrier density is dominated by interface roughness scattering. At low carrier densities (n 4.65×1012 cm−2), the measured mobility (μ) is found to be a decreasing function of carrier density as μ∼n−0.31. Loss of mobility with increasing carrier density is dominated by interface roughness scattering. At low carrier densities (n<4.24...

Bias-controlled spin polarization in quantum wires

We demonstrate that a source-drain bias creates a fully spin-polarized current as the 0.25(2e2∕h) plateau in quantum wires even in zero magnetic field. When a source-drain bias lifts the momentum degeneracy, the dc measurements show that it is possible to achieve a unidirectional ferromagnetic order and this ordered spin array is destroyed once transport in both directions commences. The spin polarization of currents, between full spin polarization and partial spin polarization (or spin degeneracy), is thus simply controlled by source-drain bias and split-gate voltage, something of considerable value for spintronics.

Zero-field spin splitting in modulation-doped AlxGa1−xN∕GaN two-dimensional electron systems

Low-temperature magnetotransport measurements were performed on AlxGa1−xN∕GaN two-dimensional electron systems. By studying the beating pattern in the Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations in a perpendicular magnetic field, we are able to measure the zero-field spin-splitting energies in our systems. Our experimental results demonstrate that the Rashba term due to structural inversion asymmetry is the dominant mechanism which gives rise to the measured zero-field spin splitting in our wurzite AlGaN∕GaN structures. By utilizing the persistent photoconductivity (PPC) effect, we are able to increase the carrier density n in our AlGaN∕GaN two-dimensional electron system. It is found that the Rashba spin-orbit splitting parameter α decreases with increasing n. We suggest that the formation of long-lived electron-hole pairs induced by the PPC effect decreases the large electric field near the AlGaN∕GaN interface, causing α to decrease with increasing n.

All-electrical injection and detection of a spin-polarized current using 1D conductors.

All-electrical control of spin transport in nanostructures has been the central interest and challenge of spin physics and spintronics. Here we demonstrate on-chip spin polarizing or filtering actions by driving the gate-defined one dimensional (1D) conductor, one of the simplest geometries for integrated quantum devices, away from the conventional Ohmic regime. Direct measurement of the spin polarization of the emitted current was performed when the momentum degeneracy was lifted, wherein both the 1D polarizer for spin injection and the analyzer for spin detection were demonstrated. The results showed that a configuration of gates and applied voltages can give rise to a tunable spin polarization, which has implications for the development of spintronic devices and future quantum information processing.

Non-Kondo zero-bias anomaly in quantum wires

It has been suggested that a zero-bias conductance peak in quantum wires signifies the presence of Kondo spin-correlations, which might also relate to an intriguing one-dimensional (1D) spin effect known as the 0.7 structure. These zero-bias anomalies (ZBA) are strongly temperature dependent, and have been observed to split into two peaks in magnetic field, both signatures of Kondo correlations in quantum dots. We present data in which ZBAs in general do not split as magnetic field is increased up to 10 T. A few of our ZBAs split in magnetic field but by significantly less than the Kondo splitting value, and evolve back to a single peak upon moving the 1D constriction laterally. The ZBA therefore does not appear to have a Kondo origin, and instead we propose a simple phenomenological model to reproduce the ZBA which is in agreement mostly with observed characteristics.

Non-ohmic behavior of carrier transport in highly disordered graphene

We report measurements of disordered graphene probed by both a high electric field and a high magnetic field. By applying a high source-drain voltage, Vsd, we are able to study the current-voltage relation I-Vsd of our device. With increasing Vsd, a crossover from the linear I-Vsd regime to the non-linear one, and eventually to activationless-hopping transport occurs. In the activationless-hopping regime, the importance of Coulomb interactions between charged carriers is demonstrated. Moreover, we show that delocalization of carriers which are strongly localized at low T and at small Vsd occurs in the presence of high electric field and perpendicular magnetic field.

Evidence for formation of multi-quantum dots in hydrogenated graphene

We report the experimental evidence for the formation of multi-quantum dots in a hydrogenated single-layer graphene flake. The existence of multi-quantum dots is supported by the low-temperature measurements on a field effect transistor structure device. The resulting Coulomb blockade diamonds shown in the color scale plot together with the number of Coulomb peaks exhibit the characteristics of the so-called ‘stochastic Coulomb blockade’. A possible explanation for the formation of the multi-quantum dots, which is not observed in pristine graphene to date, was attributed to the impurities and defects unintentionally decorated on a single-layer graphene flake which was not treated with the thermal annealing process. Graphene multi-quantum dots developed around impurities and defect sites during the hydrogen plasma exposure process.

Controlled spatial separation of spins and coherent dynamics in spin-orbit-coupled nanostructures

The spatial separation of electron spins followed by the control of their individual spin dynamics has recently emerged as an essential ingredient in many proposals for spin-based technologies because it would enable both of the two spin species to be simultaneously utilized, distinct from most of the current spintronic studies and technologies wherein only one spin species could be handled at a time. Here we demonstrate that the spatial spin splitting of a coherent beam of electrons can be achieved and controlled using the interplay between an external magnetic field and Rashba spin–orbit interaction in semiconductor nanostructures. The technique of transverse magnetic focusing is used to detect this spin separation. More notably, our ability to engineer the spin–orbit interactions enables us to simultaneously manipulate and probe the coherent spin dynamics of both spin species and hence their correlation, which could open a route towards spintronics and spin-based quantum information processing.

Low resistance AL2O3 magnetic tunnel junctions optimized through in situ conductance measurements

In situ electrical conductance is used to monitor the growth and natural oxidation of aluminum on top of a CoFe electrode. Light oxidation is found to enhance the electron specular scattering of the CoFe/vacuum interface. Aluminum deposited onto CoFe intermixes to a depth of a few atomic layers, however, subsequent natural oxidation tends to reverse this interdiffusion through oxygen-driven A1 segregation. At the right A1 thickness, natural oxidation creates a clean and specular CoFe∕AlOx interface very similar to the best achievable CoFe/vacuum interface. For thicker A1, natural oxidation leaves behind underoxidized AlOx and most importantly an interdiffused CoFe∕Al interface. Using 2Torr×150-s natural oxidation, we have fabricated magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with a peak tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) of 18% for a resistance area product of 7Ωμm2, at the A1 metal thickness of 6 A. With the same oxidation process TMR drops to only 8% when A1 is increased to 9 A. Contrary to the accepted view, we do n...

Direct observation of nonequilibrium spin population in quasi-one-dimensional nanostructures.

Observation of the interplay between interacting energy levels of two spin species is limited by the difficulties in continuously tracking energy levels and thus leaves spin transport in quantum wires still not well understood. We present a dc conductance feature in the nonequilibrium transport regime, a direct indication that the first one-dimensional subband is filled mostly by one spin species only. How this anomalous spin population changes with magnetic field and source-drain bias is directly measured. We show the source-drain bias changes spin polarization in semiconductor nanowires, providing a fully electrical method for the creation and manipulation of spin polarization as well as spin-polarized currents.