Electric field induced spin-polarized current

Patent · Tue May 02 00:00:00 EDT 2006

OSTI ID:1175728

Murakami, Shuichi; Nagaosa, Naoto; Zhang, Shoucheng

A device and a method for generating an electric-field-induced spin current are disclosed. A highly spin-polarized electric current is generated using a semiconductor structure and an applied electric field across the semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure can be a hole-doped semiconductor having finite or zero bandgap or an undoped semiconductor of zero bandgap. In one embodiment, a device for injecting spin-polarized current into a current output terminal includes a semiconductor structure including first and second electrodes, along a first axis, receiving an applied electric field and a third electrode, along a direction perpendicular to the first axis, providing the spin-polarized current. The semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor material whose spin orbit coupling energy is greater than room temperature (300 Kelvin) times the Boltzmann constant. In one embodiment, the semiconductor structure is a hole-doped semiconductor structure, such as a p-type GaAs semiconductor layer.

• Research Organization: Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00515
• Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
• Patent Number(s): 7,037,807
• Application Number: 10/746,050
• OSTI ID: 1175728
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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