Spin-current diode with a ferromagnetic semiconductor

TL;DR

This paper proposes a spin-current diode device in spintronics, enabling large forward spin currents with negligible reverse currents, using ferromagnetic quantum dots or semiconductors, potentially impacting low-dissipation spintronic applications.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of a spin-current diode and demonstrates its feasibility using ferromagnetic quantum dots and semiconductors, a novel device in spintronics.

Findings

Lead/ferromagnetic quantum dot/lead system functions as a spin-current diode.

Lead/ferromagnetic semiconductor/lead junction also acts as a spin-current diode.

The device offers low dissipation and potential for spintronics applications.

Abstract

Diode is a key device in electronics: the charge current can flow through the device under a forward bias, while almost no current flows under a reverse bias. Here we propose a corresponding device in spintronics: the spin-current diode, in which the forward spin current is large but the reversed one is negligible. We show that the lead/ferromagnetic quantum dot/lead system and the lead/ferromagnetic semiconductor/lead junction can work as spin-current diodes. The spin-current diode, a low dissipation device, may have important applications in spintronics, as the conventional charge-current diode does in electronics.