Z. G. Yu

Spin diffusion and injection in semiconductor structures: Electric field effects

In semiconductor spintronic devices, the semiconductor is usually lightly doped and nondegenerate, and moderate electric fields can dominate the carrier motion. We recently derived a drift-diffusion equation for spin polarization in semiconductors by consistently taking into account electric-field effects and nondegenerate electron statistics and identified a high-field diffusive regime which has no analog in metals. Here spin injection from a ferromagnet (FM) into a nonmagnetic semiconductor (NS) is extensively studied by applying this spin drift-diffusion equation to several typical injection structures such as FM/NS, FM/NS/FM, and FM/NS/NS structures. We find that in the high-field regime spin injection from a ferromagnet into a semiconductor is enhanced by several orders of magnitude. For injection structures with interfacial barriers, the electric field further enhances spin injection considerably. In FM/NS/FM structures high electric fields destroy the symmetry between the two magnets at low fields, where both magnets are equally important for spin injection, and spin injection becomes determined by the magnet from which carriers flow into the semiconductor. The field-induced spin injection enhancement should also be insensitive to the presence of a highly doped nonmagnetic semiconductor

Very Large Magnetoresistance in Lateral Ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As Wires with Nanoconstrictions

({\mathrm{NS}}^{+})

Experimental demonstration of a broadband all-dielectric metamaterial perfect reflector

at the FM interface, thus

Theory of semiconductor magnetic bipolar transistors

{\mathrm{F}\mathrm{M}/\mathrm{N}\mathrm{S}}^{+}/\mathrm{NS}

Electric-field dependent spin diffusion and spin injection into semiconductors

structures should also manifest efficient spin injection at high fields. Furthermore, high fields substantially reduce the magnetoresistance observable in a recent experiment on spin injection from magnetic semiconductors.

Impurity-band transport in organic spin valves

We have fabricated (Ga,Mn)As nanostructures in which domain walls can be pinned by sub-10 nm constrictions. Controlled by shape anisotropy, we can switch the regions on either side of the constriction to either parallel or antiparallel magnetization. All samples exhibit a positive magnetoresistance, consistent with domain-wall trapping. For metallic samples, we find a magnetoresistance up to 8%, which can be understood from spin accumulation. In samples where, due to depletion at the constriction, a tunnel barrier is formed, we observe a magnetoresistance of up to 2000%.

Temperature- and wavelength-dependent two-photon and free-carrier absorption in GaAs, InP, GaInAs, and InAsP

All-dielectric metamaterials utilizing Mie resonances in high-permittivity dielectric resonators offer a low-loss alternative to plasmonic metamaterials. Here we present the demonstration of a single-negative all-dielectric metamaterial, comprised of a single layer of cylindrical silicon resonators on a silicon-on-insulator substrate, that possesses peak reflectance over 99% and an average reflectance over 98% across a 200 nm wide bandwidth in the short-wavelength infrared region. The study is also extended to disordered metamaterials, demonstrating a correlation between the degree of disorder and the reduction in reflectance. It is shown that near-unity reflection is preserved as long as resonator interaction is avoided. Realization of near-unity reflection from disordered metamaterials opens the door to large-area implementations using low-cost self-assembly based fabrication techniques.

Accurate evaluation of nonlinear absorption coefficients in InAs, InSb, and HgCdTe alloys

Bipolar transistors with a ferromagnetic base are shown theoretically to have the potential to generate almost 100% spin-polarized current injection into nonmagnetic semiconductors. Optical control of ferromagnetism and spin splitting in the base can lead to either long-lived or ultrafast switching behavior. Fringe field control of the base magnetization could be used for information transfer between metallic magnetoelectronics and conventional semiconducting electronics.

CHARGE ORDERING AND LONG-RANGE INTERACTIONS IN LAYERED TRANSITION METAL OXIDES

In this paper, the consequences of using a drift diffusion equation for spin polarization in the semiconductors that consistently takes into account electric field effects and electron statistics is described.

Photoexcited-carrier-induced refractive index change in small bandgap semiconductors

The central phenomenon in the field of organic spintronics is the large magnetoresistance in thick organic spin valves. A prerequisite for understanding the magnetoresistance is a reliable description of the device resistance, or the I-V characteristics. Here I show that the observed I-V characteristics in the organic spin valves is incompatible with charge injection into the organics lowest unoccupied molecular orbital or highest occupied molecular orbital but can be explained by electrons tunnelling into a broad impurity band located in the gap between these molecular orbitals. Voltage drop takes place mainly across depletion layers at the two electrode/organic interfaces, giving rise to electrode-limited charge transport. Spin-dependent electron tunnelling into the impurity band from the ferromagnetic electrodes results in spin accumulations inside the organic, which rapidly diffuses through the organic primarily via the exchange between impurity-band electrons. This picture explains the major magnetoresistance features and predicts enhanced capacitance in these devices.