This dissertation describes spin injection, transport, and detection experiments from Fe electrodes into a bulk AlGaAs channel. This semiconducting alloy is one of a class of persistent photoconductors, chosen as the spin transport medium because its carrier density can be tuned in a controlled manner via photoexcitation through the metal to insulator transition (MIT) in situ. This allows one to determine the dependence of spin lifetime on a variety of external parameters including carrier density, all on one sample. This research represents the first electrical spin-dependent measurements in this material and describes the dependence of the Hanle signal size and spin lifetime on bias, temperature, and carrier density. The photoexcitation needed to change the carrier density in this material comes from an infrared light-emitting diode (IR LED). The first step of this project was to characterize the new, highly Si doped Al0.3Ga0.7As heterostructures, in order to determine how the illumination of the sample will affect the parameters of the material. To complete this study, Hall crosses were fabricated from the AlGaAs material and the transport properties were measured between 350 mK and 165 K. The resistivity, carrier density, and mobility were determined as a function of temperature for a variety of different illumination times. From this data, the MIT, scattering mechanisms, and the shape of the band tail of the density of states (DOS) were investigated. In fact, this is the first work to electrically probe the DOS in AlGaAs. Once the materials were characterized, they were used to fabricate lateral spin transport devices. Spin transport and accumulation were studied in detail via Hanle effect measurements, which measure the dephasing of electron spins in a perpendicular magnetic field. From these measurements, the spin lifetime of the material can be calculated, and is in the nanosecond range for all measured carrier densities. The spin lifetimes are measured using three distinct measurement configurations which all give consistent results. The dependence of spin lifetime and Hanle signal size are reported as a function of bias, temperature, and carrier density. This is the first spin transport experiment using a persistently photoconductive material as the spin transport channel in order to change the carrier density of the material in situ. The research in this dissertation successfully provides a framework for the continuation of spin injection and detection studies in this and other alloy semiconductors, and provides insight into how the spin lifetime depends on the doping levels in semiconductors. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Physics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2012. / August 17, 2012. / AlGaAs, density of states, metal-insulator transtion, spin accumulation, spin injection, spin transport / Includes bibliographical references. / Stephan von Molnár, Professor Directing Dissertation; Albert Stiegman, University Representative; Peng Xiong, Committee Member; Nicholas Bonesteel, Committee Member; Jorge Piekarewicz, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_183285 |
| Contributors | Misuraca, Jennifer (authoraut), Van Molnár, Stephan (professor directing dissertation), Stiegman, Albert (university representative), Xiong, Peng (committee member), Bonesteel, Nicholas (committee member), Piekarewicz, Jorge (committee member), Department of Physics (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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