Rashba spin-orbit effect on electronic transport in ferromagnetic/semiconductor/ferromagnetic nanostructures under an applied electric field

Abstract

Using a mode match transfer matrix method, the coherent quantum transport in a ferromagnetic/semiconductor/ferromagnetic nanowire was investigated in the presence of the Rashba spin-orbit interaction, where the angle $\ensuremath{\theta}$ between the two magnetic moments of the left and right ferromagnets varies from 0 to $2\ensuremath{\pi}$. The transmission for spin-up and spin-down electrons shows periodic variation as the angle changes. When the electric field is applied, spin-up and spin-down electrons show considerably different transmission properties both in ferromagnetic alignment $(\ensuremath{\theta}=0)$ and in antiferromagnetic alignment $(\ensuremath{\theta}=\ensuremath{\pi})$. The numerical results also indicate that the effects of the electric field and of Rashba spin-orbit interaction on the tunnel magnetoresistance are significant.