Spintronics aims to develop electronic devices whose resistance is controlled by the spin of the charge carriers that flow through them1,2,3. This approach is illustrated by the operation of the most basic spintronic device, the spin valve4,5,6, which can be formed if two ferromagnetic electrodes are separated by a thin tunnelling barrier. In most cases, its resistance is greater when the two electrodes are magnetized in opposite directions than when they are magnetized in the same direction7,8. The relative difference in resistance, the so-called magnetoresistance, is then positive. However, if the transport of carriers inside the device is spin- or energy-dependent3, the opposite can occur and the magnetoresistance is negative9. The next step is to construct an analogous device to a field-effect transistor by using this effect to control spin transport and magnetoresistance with a voltage applied to a gate10,11. In practice though, implementing such a device has proved difficult. Here, we report on a pronounced gate-field-controlled magnetoresistance response in carbon nanotubes connected by ferromagnetic leads. Both the magnitude and the sign of the magnetoresistance in the resulting devices can be tuned in a predictable manner. This opens an important route to the realization of multifunctional spintronic devices.

Electric field control of spin transport

Graphene has unique electronic properties, and graphene nanoribbons are of particular interest because they exhibit a conduction bandgap that arises due to size confinement and edge effects. Theoretical studies have suggested that graphene nanoribbons could have interesting magneto-electronic properties, with a very large predicted magnetoresistance. Here, we report the experimental observation of a significant enhancement in the conductance of a graphene nanoribbon field-effect transistor by a perpendicular magnetic field. A negative magnetoresistance of nearly 100% was observed at low temperatures, with over 50% magnetoresistance remaining at room temperature. This magnetoresistance can be tuned by varying the gate or source-drain bias. We also find that the charge transport in the nanoribbons is not significantly modified by an in-plane magnetic field. The large observed values of magnetoresistance may be attributed to the reduction of quantum confinement through the formation of cyclotron orbits and the delocalization effect under the perpendicular magnetic field.

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Very large magnetoresistance in graphene nanoribbons

We show experimentally that electron transport through GaAs-based double quantum dots can be affected by ambient nuclear spin states in a certain regime where transport is blocked in the absence of electron spin flip. Current through the dots oscillates in time with a period up to 200 s depending on magnetic field. Oscillation is quenched by application of a continuous wave ac magnetic field which can induce nuclear magnetic resonance in 71Ga or 69Ga. A possible mechanism for dynamically polarizing the nuclear spins is proposed.

http://absimage.aps.org/image/MAR05/MWS_MAR05-2004-003790.pdf

Nuclear Spin Induced Oscillatory Current in Spin Blockaded Quantum Dots

The epitaxial growth of germanium on silicon leads to the self-assembly of SiGe nanocrystals by a process that allows the size, composition and position of the nanocrystals to be controlled. This level of control, combined with an inherent compatibility with silicon technology, could prove useful in nanoelectronic applications. Here, we report the confinement of holes in quantum-dot devices made by directly contacting individual SiGe nanocrystals with aluminium electrodes, and the production of hybrid superconductor-semiconductor devices, such as resonant supercurrent transistors, when the quantum dot is strongly coupled to the electrodes. Charge transport measurements on weakly coupled quantum dots reveal discrete energy spectra, with the confined hole states displaying anisotropic gyromagnetic factors and strong spin-orbit coupling with pronounced dependences on gate voltage and magnetic field.

/pdf/hybrid-superconductor-semiconductor-devices-made-from-self-1f18c0kcsl.pdf

Hybrid superconductor-semiconductor devices made from self-assembled SiGe nanocrystals on silicon

An important consequence of the discovery of giant magnetoresistance in metallic magnetic multilayers is a broad interest in spin-dependent effects in electronic transport through magnetic nanostructures. An example of such systems are tunnel junctions—single-barrier planar junctions or more complex ones. In this review we present and discuss recent theoretical results on electron and spin transport through ferromagnetic mesoscopic junctions including two or more barriers. Such systems are also called ferromagnetic single-electron transistors. We start from the situation when the central part of a device has the form of a magnetic (or nonmagnetic) metallic nanoparticle. Transport characteristics then reveal single-electron charging effects, including the Coulomb staircase, Coulomb blockade, and Coulomb oscillations. Single-electron ferromagnetic transistors based on semiconductor quantum dots and large molecules (especially carbon nanotubes) are also considered. The main emphasis is placed on the spin effects due to spin-dependent tunnelling through the barriers, which gives rise to spin accumulation and tunnel magnetoresistance. Spin effects also occur in the current–voltage characteristics, (differential) conductance, shot noise, and others. Transport characteristics in the two limiting situations of weak and strong coupling are of particular interest. In the former case we distinguish between the sequential tunnelling and cotunnelling regimes. In the strong coupling regime we concentrate on the Kondo phenomenon, which in the case of transport through quantum dots or molecules leads to an enhanced conductance and to a pronounced zero-bias Kondo peak in the differential conductance.

Spin effects in single-electron tunnelling

We demonstrate an electric-field control of tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect in a semiconductor quantum-dot (QD) spin-valve device. By using ferromagnetic Ni nano-gap electrodes, we observe the Coulomb blockade oscillations at a small bias voltage. In the vicinity of the Coulomb blockade peak, the TMR effect is significantly modulated and even its sign is switched by changing the gate voltage, where the sign of the TMR value changes at the resonant condition.

Electric-field control of tunneling magnetoresistance effect in a Ni/InAs/Ni quantum-dot spin valve

Using a laterally fabricated quantum-dot (QD) spin-valve device, we experimentally study the Kondo effect in the electron transport through a semiconductor QD with an odd number of electrons (N). In a parallel magnetic configuration of the ferromagnetic electrodes, the Kondo resonance at N=3 splits clearly without external magnetic fields. With applying magnetic fields (B), the splitting is gradually reduced, and then the Kondo effect is almost restored at B=1.2T. This means that, in the Kondo regime, an inverse effective magnetic field of B∼1.2T can be applied to the QD in the parallel magnetic configuration of the ferromagnetic electrodes.

Kondo effect in a semiconductor quantum dot coupled to ferromagnetic electrodes

The authors demonstrate an electric-field control of tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect in a semiconductor quantum-dot spin-valve device. By using ferromagnetic Ni nanogap electrodes, they observe the Coulomb blockade oscillations at a small bias voltage. In the vicinity of the Coulomb blockade peak, the TMR effect is significantly modulated and even its sign is switched by changing the gate voltage, where the sign of the TMR value changes at the resonant condition.

Electric-field control of tunneling magnetoresistance effect in a Ni∕InAs∕Ni quantum-dot spin valve

Using a laterally-fabricated quantum-dot (QD) spin-valve device, we experimentally study the Kondo effect in the electron transport through a semiconductor QD with an odd number of electrons (N). In a parallel magnetic configuration of the ferromagnetic electrodes, the Kondo resonance at N = 3 splits clearly without external magnetic fields. With applying magnetic fields (B), the splitting is gradually reduced, and then the Kondo effect is almost restored at B = 1.2 T. This means that, in the Kondo regime, an inverse effective magnetic field of B ~ 1.2 T can be applied to the QD in the parallel magnetic configuration of the ferromagnetic electrodes.

We experimentally study the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect as a function of bias voltage $({V}_{\mathrm{SD}})$ in lateral $\mathrm{Ni}∕\mathrm{In}\mathrm{As}∕\mathrm{Ni}$ quantum-dot (QD) spin valves showing Coulomb blockade characteristics. With varying ${V}_{\mathrm{SD}}$, the TMR value oscillates and the oscillation period corresponds to conductance changes observed in the current-voltage $(I\text{\ensuremath{-}}{V}_{\mathrm{SD}})$ characteristics. We also find an inverse TMR effect near ${V}_{\mathrm{SD}}$ values where negative differential conductance is observed. A possible mechanism of the TMR oscillation is discussed in terms of spin accumulation on the QD and spin-dependent transport properties via excited states.

M. Kitabatake

Papers

Electric-field control of tunneling magnetoresistance effect in a Ni/InAs/Ni quantum-dot spin valve

Kondo effect in a semiconductor quantum dot coupled to ferromagnetic electrodes

Electric-field control of tunneling magnetoresistance effect in a Ni∕InAs∕Ni quantum-dot spin valve

Kondo effect in a semiconductor quantum dot coupled to ferromagnetic electrodes

Oscillatory changes in the tunneling magnetoresistance effect in semiconductor quantum-dot spin valves