Six-band k center dot p calculation of spin-dependent interband tunneling in strained broken-gap heterostructures under a quantizing magnetic field

Abstract

We investigate spin-dependent interband magnetotunneling processes in strained broken-gap resonant tunneling structures made from InAs, AlSb, and GaSb, which are promising materials for quantum devices. InAs/AlSb/GaSb/InAs/AlSb/GaSb double-barrier structures grown on both InAs and GaSb are considered. Transmission coefficients for interband tunneling processes from individual eigenstates in the InAs emitter as well as current-voltage characteristics were calculated using a six-band k center dot p model and the scattering matrix method. We predict that due to lattice-mismatch induced strain, the interband tunneling current density for the structure grown on InAs can be one or two orders of magnitude less than that for the structure grown on GaSb. Furthermore, as a consequence of interband magnetotunneling, structures grown on different substrates yield different spin polarization of the tunneling current. It is obtained that the current spin polarization can be greater than 90%. These resonant tunneling structures can be used as spin filters in the rapidly growing field of spintronics.