Current-Induced Magnetic Polarons in a Colloidal Quantum-Dot Device

Abstract

Electrical spin manipulation remains a central challenge for the realization of diverse spin-based information processing technologies. Motivated by the demonstration of confinement-enhanced sp-d exchange interactions in colloidal diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) quantum dots (QDs), such materials are considered promising candidates for future spintronic or spin-photonic applications. Despite intense research into DMS QDs, electrical control of their magnetic and magneto-optical properties remains a daunting goal. Here, we report the first demonstration of electrically induced magnetic polaron formation in any DMS, achieved by embedding Mn2+-doped CdSe/CdS core/shell QDs as the active layer in an electrical light-emitting device. Tracing the electroluminescence from cryogenic to room temperatures reveals an anomalous energy shift that reflects current-induced magnetization of the Mn2+ spin sublattice, that is, excitonic magnetic polaron formation. These electrically induced magnetic polarons exhibit an energy gain comparable to their optically excited counterparts, demonstrating that magnetic polaron formation is achievable by current injection in a solid-state device.