Va. Chitta et al., Spin-aip scattering contribution to resonant-tunneling current in semimagnetic semiconductor heterostructures, BRAZ J PHYS, 29(4), 1999, pp. 702-706
We calculate the characteristic current-voltage curve of a tunneling device
based on semimagnetic semiconductor materials. The device is a heterostruc
ture with layers of Cd1-xMnxTe in which the magnetic ions Mn2+ interact str
ongly with the conducting electrons via, the s-d exchange interaction. Ther
mal fluctuations of Mn2+ magnetic moments cause spin-dependent electron sca
ttering that modifies the characteristic current-voltage curve. Our calcula
tion shows how this electron-ion scattering is expected to affect the spin
dynamics in transport measurements.