Spin polarization in GaAs/Al0.24Ga0.76As heterostructures

A. Ashok, R. Akis, Dragica Vasileska, D. K. Ferry

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The spontaneous spin polarization of a quantum point contact (QPC) formed by the lateral confinement of a high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas in a GaAs/AlGaAs split gate heterostructure is investigated. Self consistent calculations of the electronic structure of the QPC are performed using the spin-polarized density functional formalism of Kohn and Sham. Spin polarization occurs at low electron densities and exchange interaction is found to be the dominant mechanism driving the local spin polarization within the QPC. The cascading scattering matrix approach is utilized to compute the conductance and a conductance anomaly at ∼0.5 (2e2/h) has been observed. In addition to this, the sheet density dependence of the 0.7 conduction anomaly is investigated.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)797-800
Number of pages4
JournalMolecular Simulation
Volume31
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 15 2005

Keywords

  • 0.7 structure
  • 2DEG
  • LDA
  • QPC

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • Information Systems
  • Modeling and Simulation
  • General Chemical Engineering
  • General Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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