An observation of spin-valve effects in a semiconductor field effect transistor: a novel spintronic device

TL;DR

This paper reports the first demonstration of a spintronic semiconductor field effect transistor utilizing magnetic contacts and a 2DEG, revealing two distinct spin-valve effects influencing its resistance.

Contribution

It introduces a novel spintronic device with magnetic contacts controlling resistance via two spin-valve effects, advancing semiconductor spintronics technology.

Findings

Resistance controlled by spin-valve effects at interfaces

Resistance influenced by spin propagation between contacts

First observation of spin-valve effects in a semiconductor FET

Abstract

We present the first spintronic semiconductor field effect transistor. The injector and collector contacts of this device were made from magnetic permalloy thin films with different coercive fields so that they could be magnetized either parallel or antiparallel to each other in different applied magnetic fields. The conducting medium was a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) formed in an AlSb/InAs quantum well. Data from this device suggest that its resistance is controlled by two different types of spin-valve effect: the first occurring at the ferromagnet-2DEG interfaces; and the second occuring in direct propagation between contacts.