Spin currents in diluted magnetic semiconductors (extended version)

Abstract

Spin currents resulting in the zero-bias spin separation have been observed in unbiased diluted magnetic semiconductor structures (Cd,Mn)Te/(Cd,Mg)Te. The pure spin current generated due to the electron gas heating by terahertz radiation is converted into a net electric current by application of an external magnetic field. We demonstrate that polarization of the magnetic ion system enhances drastically the conversion due to the spin-dependent scattering by localized Mn(2+) ions and the giant Zeeman splitting.

6 pages, 4 figures