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Observation of spontaneous spin-splitting in the band structure of an n-type zinc-blende ferromagnetic semiconductor

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  • Le Duc Anh

    (The University of Tokyo
    Institute of Engineering Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo)

  • Pham Nam Hai

    (Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Center for Spintronics Research Network (CSRN), The University of Tokyo)

  • Masaaki Tanaka

    (The University of Tokyo
    Center for Spintronics Research Network (CSRN), The University of Tokyo)

Abstract

Large spin-splitting in the conduction band and valence band of ferromagnetic semiconductors, predicted by the influential mean-field Zener model and assumed in many spintronic device proposals, has never been observed in the mainstream p-type Mn-doped ferromagnetic semiconductors. Here, using tunnelling spectroscopy in Esaki-diode structures, we report the observation of such a large spontaneous spin-splitting energy (31.7–50 meV) in the conduction band bottom of n-type ferromagnetic semiconductor (In,Fe)As, which is surprising considering the very weak s-d exchange interaction reported in several zinc-blende type semiconductors. The mean-field Zener model also fails to explain consistently the ferromagnetism and the spin-splitting energy of (In,Fe)As, because we found that the Curie temperature values calculated using the observed spin-splitting energies are much lower than the experimental ones by a factor of 400. These results urge the need for a more sophisticated theory of ferromagnetic semiconductors.

Suggested Citation

  • Le Duc Anh & Pham Nam Hai & Masaaki Tanaka, 2016. "Observation of spontaneous spin-splitting in the band structure of an n-type zinc-blende ferromagnetic semiconductor," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms13810
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13810
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    Cited by:

    1. Shiquan Lin & Laipan Zhu & Zhen Tang & Zhong Lin Wang, 2022. "Spin-selected electron transfer in liquid–solid contact electrification," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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