Condensed
Matter & Surface Sciences
COLLOQUIUM
Nitin Samarth
Spin
Control in Magnetic Semiconductor Heterostructures
Magnetic semiconductor heterostructures provide an interesting playground for
probing and manipulating spin interactions between extended electronic states
and localized magnetic moments [1]. We
provide an overview of recent experiments wherein we use a variety of
techniques to engineer spin interactions in heterostructures
derived from magnetic semiconductors such as (Ga,Mn)As
and (Zn,Mn)Se.
Specific examples include:
* the use of submicron lithography to tailor the
Curie temperature of
(Ga,Mn)As
heterostructure devices by altering defect diffusion
pathways [2];
* the exchange biasing of (Ga,Mn)As epilayers via antiferromagnetic
overlayers
[3];
* the opto-electronic tuning of coherent
electron spin precession from GHz
to near-THz
frequencies in magnetic semiconductor quantum wells [4].
1. A. H. MacDonald, P. Schiffer,
2. K. F. Eid et al., Appl.
Phys. Lett. 86, art. no. 152505 (2005).
3. K. F. Eid et al, Appl.
Phys. Lett. 85, 1556 (2004).
4. R. C. Myers et al, Phys. Rev. B. (Rapid Comm.) 72, art. no.
041302 (2005).