Voltage-Controlled Spin Selection in a Magnetic Resonant Tunnelling Diode

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates voltage-controlled spin filtering in a magnetic resonant tunneling diode by observing spin-split transmission resonances under magnetic fields, advancing spintronic device development.

Contribution

It introduces a novel all II-VI semiconductor resonant tunneling diode with magnetic quantum wells showing voltage-controlled spin selectivity.

Findings

Spin splitting of levels observed under magnetic field.

Resonance peaks split into two, indicating spin polarization.

Potential for voltage-controlled spin filtering in devices.

Abstract

We have fabricated all II-VI semiconductor resonant tunneling diodes based on the (Zn,Mn,Be)Se material system, containing dilute magnetic material in the quantum well, and studied their current-voltage characteristics. When subjected to an external magnetic field the resulting spin splitting of the levels in the quantum well leads to a splitting of the transmission resonance into two separate peaks. This is interpreted as evidence of tunneling transport through spin polarized levels, and could be the first step towards a voltage controlled spin filter.