Anomalous Hall effect in two-phase semiconductor structures: the crucial role of ferromagnetic inclusions

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that the anomalous Hall effect in InMnAs layers with ferromagnetic inclusions arises from magnetic fields of inclusions and current inhomogeneity, even without carrier spin polarization.

Contribution

It provides a combined theoretical and experimental explanation for the anomalous Hall effect caused by ferromagnetic inclusions in semiconductor layers.

Findings

Anomalous Hall effect explained by magnetic fields of inclusions and current inhomogeneity.

Hysteretic Hall resistance linked to magnetization of ferromagnetic inclusions.

Observation of anomalous Hall effect without carrier spin polarization.

Abstract

The Hall effect in InMnAs layers with MnAs inclusions of 20-50 nm in size is studied both theoretically and experimentally. We find that the anomalous Hall effect can be explained by the Lorentz force caused by the magnetic field of ferromagnetic inclusions and by an inhomogeneous distribution of the current density in the layer. The hysteretic dependence of the average magnetization of ferromagnetic inclusions on an external magnetic field results in a hysteretic dependence of RH(Hext). Thus we show the possibility of a hysteretic RH(Hext) dependence (i.e. observation of the anomalous Hall effect) in thin conductive layers with ferromagnetic inclusions in the absence of carriers spin polarization.