Spin-dependent electronic tunneling at zero magnetic field

The spin-dependent tunneling phenomenon in symmetric and asymmetric semicon ductor heterostructures at zero magnetic field is studied theoretically on the base of a single conduction band and spin-dependent boundary conditions approach. It is shown that the spin-orbit splitting in the dispersion rela tion for the electrons in A(III)B(V) semiconductor quantum-tunneling struct ures can provide a dependence of the tunneling transmission probability on the electron's spin polarization. The dependence is calculated and discusse d for different kinds of tunnel heterostructures. [S0163-1829(98)04548-2].