Effect of Fe atomic layers at the ferromagnet–semiconductor interface on temperature-dependent spin transport in semiconductors

Abstract

Using artificially controlled ferromagnet (FM)–semiconductor (SC) interfaces, we study the decay of the nonlocal spin signals with increasing temperature in SC-based lateral spin-valve devices. When more than five atomic layers of Fe are inserted at the FM/SC interfaces, the temperature-dependent spin injection/detection efficiency (Pinj/det) can be interpreted in terms of the T32 law, meaning a model of the thermally excited spin waves in the FM electrodes. For the FM/SC interfaces with the insufficient insertion of Fe atomic layers, on the other hand, the decay of Pinj/det is more rapid than the T32 curve. Using magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements, we find that more than five atomic layers of Fe inserted between FM and SC enable us to enhance the ferromagnetic nature of the FM/SC heterointerfaces. Thus, the ferromagnetism in the ultra-thin FM layer just on top of SC is strongly related to the temperature-dependent nonlocal spin transport in SC-based lateral spin-valve devices. We propose that the sufficient ferromagnetism near the FM/SC interface is essential for high-performance FM–SC hybrid devices above room temperature.