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Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Plasma-assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy of N-polar InAlN-barrier High-electron-mobility Transistors
Published on: November 24, 2016
Half-metallicity and efficient spin injection in AlN/GaN:Cr (0001) heterostructure
J E Medvedeva1, A J Freeman, X Y Cui
1Physics and Astronomy Department, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3112, USA.
Abstract:
First-principles investigations of the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of Cr-doped AlN/GaN (0001) heterostructures reveal the possibility of efficient spin injection from a ferromagnetic GaN:Cr electrode through an AlN tunnel barrier. We demonstrate that Cr atoms segregate into the GaN region and that these interfaces retain their half-metallic behavior leading to a complete, i.e., 100%, spin polarization of the conduction electrons. This property makes the wide band-gap nitrides doped with Cr to be excellent candidates for high-efficiency magnetoelectronic devices.
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