UNIVERSAL CONDUCTANCE FLUCTUATIONS IN SUBMICRON WIRES OF CD1-XMNXTE

Mesoscopic phenomena in nanostructures that incorporate diluted magnet ic semiconductors may exhibit a number of novel features driven by spi n interactions between mobile electrons and localized spins. Millikelv in studies of linear and nonlinear diffusive charge transport, which h ave been carried out for submicron wires of n(+)-Cd1-xMnxTe epilayers as well as for microstructures of Hg1-x-yCdyMnxTe bicrystals, are revi ewed. These studies have provided information on the significance of s pin-disorder scattering and evidence of a new driving mechanism of the magnetoconductance fluctuations--the redistribution of the electrons between energy levers of the system, induced by the giant s-d exchange spin-splitting. Important implications of these findings for previous interpretations of spin effects in semiconductor and metal nanostruct ures are discussed.