Spin depolarization in the transport of holes across GaxMn 1-xAs/GayAl1-yAs/p-GaAs

Abstract

We study the spin polarization of tunneling holes injected from ferromagnetic GaMnAs into a p-doped semiconductor through a tunneling barrier. We find that spin-orbit interaction in the barrier and in the drain limits severely spin injection. Spin depolarization is stronger when the magnetization is parallel to the current than when it is perpendicular to it.