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Semiconductor spintronics

Tomasz Dietl 

Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics and ERATO Semiconductor Spintronics Project, al. Lotników 32/46, Warszawa 02-668, Poland
Warsaw University, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Warszawa 00-681, Poland

Abstract

Prospects in applications of semiconductor spintronics for classical and quantum information hard-ware will be presented. Materials issues will be emphasized focussing on ferromagnetic semiconductors [1] and also on hybrid ferromagnetic metal/semiconductor systems, taking the Stern-Gerlach spin-filter as an example [2]. Various functionalities of ferromagnetic semiconductors will be listed, including electron and hole spin injection, tunnelling magnetoresistance [3], spin-reorientation transition [4] as well as current-induced induced domain-wall displacement [5] and resistance [6].
Stimulated by demonstrated and foreseen functionalities, a considerable and successful effort has been devoted to develop semiconductors and oxides containing transition metals, in which ferromagnetic features persist up to above room temperature. Recent progress in understanding of these multi-component materials [7,8] will be described emphasising an interesting unexpected difficulties in characterisation of these systems by standard experimental probes and theoretical tools.

The work supported in part by projects NANOSPIN of EC and SPINTRA of European Science Foundation as well as by Humboldt Foundation.

1. T. Dietl and H. Ohno, Materials Today 9 (11) (2006) 18, and references therein.
2. J. Wróbel, T. Dietl, A. Łusakowski, G. Grabecki, K. Fronc, R. Hey, K.H. Ploog, and H. Shtrikman, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93 (2004) 246601.
3. P. Sankowski, P. Kacman, J. M. Majewski, T. Dietl, Phys. Rev. B 75 (2007) 045306.
4. K.-Y. Wang, M. Sawicki, K.W. Edmonds, R.P. Campion, S. Maat, C.T. Foxon, B.L. Gallagher, and T. Dietl, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95 (2005) 217204.
5. M. Yamanouchi, D. Chiba, F. Matsukura, T. Dietl, and H. Ohno, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 (2006) 096601.
6. D. Chiba, M. Yamanouchi, F. Matsukura, T. Dietl, and H. Ohno, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 (2006) 096602.
7. T. Dietl, Nature Mat. 5 (2006) 673.
8. S. Kuroda, N. Nishizawa, K. Takita, M. Mitome, Y. Bando, K. Osuch, and T. Dietl, Nature Mat. 6 (June, 2007).

 

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Related papers

Presentation: Invited at E-MRS Fall Meeting 2007, Acta Materialia Gold Medal Workshop, by Tomasz Dietl
See On-line Journal of E-MRS Fall Meeting 2007

Submitted: 2007-05-19 09:33
Revised:   2009-06-07 00:44