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Carrier-Density-Controlled Anisotropic Spin Susceptibility of Two-Dimensional Hole Systems T. Kernreiter, M. Governale, and U. Zu¨licke School of Chemical and Physical Sciences and MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand (Dated: July 20, 2012) We have studied quantum-well-confined holes based on the Luttinger-model description for the valencebandoftypicalsemiconductormaterials. Evenwhenonlythelowest quasi-two-dimensional 2 (quasi-2D) subband is populated, the static spin susceptibility turns out to be very different from 1 the universal isotropic Lindhard-function lineshape obtained for 2D conduction-electron systems. 0 We discuss how the strongly anisotropic and peculiarly density-dependent spin-related response of 2 2D holes at long wavelengths should make it possible to switch between easy-axis and easy-plane l magnetization in dilute magnetic quantumwells. u J 9 Introduction – The recently achieved ability to make the static spin-susceptibility tensor [12] χ (r ;r ). In a 1 ij α β bulk semiconductors magnetic [1–3] opens up excit- homogeneouselectronsystemwithspin-rotationalinvari- ] ing possibilities for controlling magnetism in unconven- ance, it has a universalisotropic form that depends only l l tional ways. Nanostructuring offers appealing routes to- on the dimensionality of the system [13], rendering the a wards realizing magnetic semiconducting devices based impurity-spin interaction (1) to be of Heisenberg-model h - on strain-induced anisotropies [4] or wave-function en- type. This case applies to the 2D electron systems re- s gineering in heterostructures [5, 6]. In particular, size alized by confining carriers from the conduction band e m quantization strongly affects the intrinsic spin-3/2 de- in semiconductor heterostructures as long as inversion gree of freedom carried by valence-band states [7] and symmetry is not broken by the crystal lattice or due to . t is expected to stabilize easy-axis magnetism in a two- structuring of the sample [14–17]. a m dimensional (2D) hole system with magnetization direc- Here we focus on the properties of 2D hole systems - tion perpendicular to its plane [8, 9]. Our detailed the- whosechargecarriershaveanintrinsicspin-3/2degreeof d oretical study shows that the behavior of p-type mag- freedom that is strongly coupled to their orbital motion n netic quantum wells is unexpectedly rich. Valence-band evenwheninversionsymmetryisintact[7]. Weadoptthe o c mixing turns out to sufficiently weaken easy-axis mag- Luttinger model [18] in axial approximation [7, 19, 20], [ netism at intermediate densities, triggering a transitions whichprovidesausefuldescriptionoftheupper-mostva- to an easy-plane magnet. Counterintuitively, valence- lence band of typical semiconductors in situations where 1 band mixing is also responsible for reentrant easy-axis v 8 magnetism occurring at even higher density. Our results 4 are robust with respect to changes in quantum-well pa- 5 rameters. The density-driven magnetic transitions dis- 4 4 cussed here enable new magneto-electronic device func- . 7 tionalities [10,11]basedonelectric-fieldmanipulationof 3 0 the magnetization in low-dimensional systems. 0 2 E Background & Aim – Magnetism is introduced into (cid:144) 2 1 nk intrinsically nonmagnetic semiconducting materials via E : v doping with magnetic ions [1–3] such as Mn, Co, Fe or 1 i X Gd. One way to generate an exchange interaction be- r tweenany twolocalizedmagnetic moments embedded in 0 a aconductorisprovidedbytheRuderman-Kittel-Kasuya- -2 -1 0 1 2 Yosida (RKKY) mechanism [12], which gives rise to the kd(cid:144)Π effective two-impurity spin Hamiltonian FIG. 1. Lowest three (each of them doubly degenerate) sub- H = G2 I(α)I(β)χ (r ;r ) . (1) αβ − i j ij α β bandsofatwo-dimensionalholesystemrealizedbyasymmet- Xi,j ric hard-wall quantum-well confinement of width d. Disper- sions are calculated based on the four-band Luttinger-model (α) HereI denotesthe ithCartesiancomponentofanim- i description of bulk valence-band states in axial approxima- purityspinlocatedatpositionr ,andGisthe exchange α tion, using band-structure parameters applicable to GaAs constantforthecontactinteractionbetweenthespinden- confined in [001] direction, and E0 = −π2~2γ1/(2m0d2). sityofdelocalizedchargecarrierswiththeimpurityspins. Gray lines indicate the range of energies and wave vectors The propertiesofthe chargecarriersmediating the ef- for which only the lowest subband is occupied. This is the fective impurity-spin exchange coupling are encoded in regime we focus on in this work. 2 itscouplingstotheconductionbandandsplit-offvalence Luttinger-model description of quasi-2D holes – Using band are irrelevant. Subband k-dot-p theory [21, 22] is the 4 4 Luttinger Hamiltonian in axial approximation × employedtoobtainthelowestquasi-2Dholesubbandsfor for the bulk valence band, the bound states of 2D holes a symmetric hard-wall confinement characterized by its confinedby a potential V(z) aregivenin terms ofspinor spatial width d. See Fig. 1. We consider the case where wave functions ξ¯ (z) that satisfy the Schr¨odinger equa- nk onlythelowest2Dsubbandisoccupiedandcalculatethe tion [H +H +H ]ξ¯ =E ξ¯ , where 0 1 2 nk nk nk spinsusceptibility. Basedonthisresult,variousmagnetic ~2 5 d2 phases are shown to emerge in magnetically doped hole H0 = 2m (cid:20)γ111−2γ˜1(cid:18)Jˆz2− 411(cid:19)(cid:21)dz2 +V(z) , (5a) quantum wells depending on the carrier density. 0 Spin susceptibility of a quasi-2D system – The spin ~2k d H = √2γ˜ ( i) Jˆ,Jˆ + Jˆ,Jˆ , (5b) susceptibility of 2D charge carriers is given by [13] 1 m0 2 − (cid:16){ z −} { z +}(cid:17)dz ~2k2 5 χij(Ri,z;R∞′,z′)= H2 =−2m0 (cid:20)γ111+γ˜1(cid:18)Jˆz2− 411(cid:19)−γ˜3(cid:16)Jˆ+2 +Jˆ−2(cid:17)(cid:21). −~Z dt e−ηt h[Si(R,z;t), Sj(R′,z′;0)]i. (2) (5c) 0 Herem istheelectronmassinvacuum,holeenergiesare Here R and z are components of the position vector in 0 countedasnegativefromthebulkvalence-bandedge,and the 2D (xy) plane and in the perpendicular (growth) weusedtheabbreviationsJˆ =(Jˆ iJˆ)/√2, A,B = direction, respectively. The spin density operator (in ± x± y { } units of ~) is defined in terms of field operators Ψ, (AB +BA)/2. The constants γ1 and γ˜j are materials- Ψ† and the Cartesian components Jˆ of the charge related band-structure parameters [25] and depend on j the quantum-well growth direction. carriers’ intrinsic angular momentum as S (R,z) = j Straightforward application of the subband k-dot-p Ψ†(R,z) Jˆ Ψ(R,z). The field operators can be ex- j method [21, 22] yields the energy dispersions E with pressed in terms of operators associated with general nk associated eigenspinors ξ¯ . At k = 0, the eigenspinors eigenstates [labelled by band index n and in-plane wave nk are also eigenstates of Jˆ with eigenvalues 3/2 (heavy vector k = (kx,ky)] of the non-interacting Hamiltonian holes) or 1/2 (light hozles), which are spl±it in energy. asΨ(R,z)= d2k eik·R ξ (z) c . The(normal- ± n (2π)2 nk nk This phenomenon is often referred to as HH-LH split- ized)spinorsξPnk(zR)andeigenvaluesEnk areobtainedby ting [7, 19]. At finite k, the spinors ξ¯nk are not eigen- solvingthe multi-bandSchr¨odingerequationforthe con- states of Jˆ anymore. This phenomenon of HH-LH mix- z finement in growth direction of the 2D heterostructure. ing arises because a spin-3/2 degree of freedom has a We can then express the spin susceptibility as much richer structure than the more familiar spin-1/2 case [26]. Figure 1 shows the 2D-subband dispersions χ (R,z;R′,z′)= d2q eiq·(R−R′) χ (q;z,z′) (3a) obtainedforasymmetrichard-wallconfinementofwidth ij Z (2π)2 ij d, using band-structureparametersfor GaAs confinedin [001] direction. The numerically obtained E and ξ¯ in terms of the 2D Fourier-transformedsusceptibility nk nk serveasinputforthecalculationofthe2D-holespinsus- d2k ceptibility according to Eqs. (3) with Eq. (4). χ (q;z,z′)= Wnl(k,q;z,z′) ij Z (2π)2 ij Results for the 2D-hole spin susceptibility – Using po- Xn,l lar coordinates (q,φ ) for the 2D wave vector q and in- q nF(Elk+q)−nF(Enk) ,(3b) troducing the scale χ0 = 2m0/(γ1~2), we find that the × Elk+q Enk i~η tensor elements of χ (q) have the generic form − − ij where n denotes the Fermi function, and F χ (q)=χ F (q)+G(q) cos(2φ ) , (6a) xx 0 k q Wijnl(k,q;z,z′)=hξnk(z)i†·hJˆiξlk+q(z)i χχyy((qq))==χχ0(cid:2)G(cid:2)F(kq()qs)i−n(G2φ(q))c,os(2φq)(cid:3)(cid:3), ((66bc)) † xy 0 q ×hξlk+q(z′)i ·hJˆjξnk(z′)i .(3c) χzz(q)=χ0F⊥(q) . (6d) Axial symmetry of the 2D system implies Enk Enk ThefunctionsFk,⊥(x)andG(x)dependonmaterialsand and permits the ansatz [23, 24] ≡ morphological parameters of the 2D hole system, espe- ciallytheholesheetdensityn k2/(2π),butG(0)=0 2D ≡ F ξnk(z)=e−iJˆzφk ξ¯nk(z) , (4) generally. Figure2showstypicalresultsobtainedatlow, intermediate and high densities where still only states in simplifying calculation of the matrix elements Wnl. In the lowest quasi-2D subband are occupied. ij the following, we consider the growth-direction-averaged The density dependence of the 2D-hole spin suscepti- spin susceptibility χ (q) = dz dz′ χ (q;z,z′) cal- bility follows a generic trend. In the limit of low den- ij ij culated at zero temperature. R R sity [Fig. 2(a)], χ (q) χ (q) χ (q), and the line zz ≫ xx ∼ yy 3 behavior and also the easy-axis response expected from 0.6 aL HH-LH splitting arises because, as the 2D-hole density Χ 0.5 zz is increased, higher-k states get occupied that are more k =0.6Π(cid:144)d strongly influenced by HH-LH mixing. At the highest F 0.4 0 valuesofdensitywherestillonlythelowestquasi-2Dhole Χ L(cid:144) 0.3 subbandis populated, easy-axisanisotropyis restoredin q H the long-wave-length limit but the response at finite q Χii 0.2 Χ ~Χ xx yy becomes as important in strength as that for q 0. → 0.1 2D-hole-mediated magnetism – In a magnetically doped p-type quantum well, holes can mediate a mag- 0 netic interaction between localized moments via the 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 RKKY mechanism. The corresponding spin Hamil- q(cid:144)kF tonian is given by Eq. (1), with χij(rα;rβ) ≡ χ (R ,z ;R ,z ) being the spin susceptibility of the ij α α β β 2 bL 2D hole system calculated here. For a random but on averagehomogeneousdistributionofmagneticions,stan- Χ 1.5 yy Χ kF=Π(cid:144)d dardmean-fieldtheory[12]yieldstheCurietemperatures zz 0 Χ L(cid:144)q 1 χ (q) HΧii TC(Mj F) =8π T0 (cid:12) jχj (cid:12) (7a) 0.5 Χxx (cid:12)(cid:12) 0 (cid:12)(cid:12)q=0 (cid:12) (cid:12) forferromagneticorderwithmagnetizationdirectionpar- 0 allel to the j axis. The temperature scale 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 I(I +1) G2 n m q(cid:144)k T = I 0 (7b) F 0 12 k d π~2γ B 1 1.2 cL depends onthe impurity-spin magnitude I and the aver- 1 age 3D density n of magnetic impurities, and its func- I kF=1.6Π(cid:144)d tional form is that obtained for 2D charge carriers with 0.8 Χ 0 zz parabolicsubbanddispersion[9,27] correspondingto an Χ L(cid:144)q 0.6 effective mass m0/γ1. HΧii 0.4 Χxx Figure 3 shows the mean-field Curie temperatures for perpendicular-to-plane ( ) and in-plane ( ) magnetiza- ⊥ k 0.2 Χ tion directions calculated with the same input param- yy eters used for obtaining the subbands given in Fig. 1. 0 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 q(cid:144)k F 50 FIG.2. q-dependentspinsusceptibilityforφq=0andvalues 40 T ´ ofthe2D-holeFermiwavevectorkF asindicated intheindi- C vidual panels. Calculations are based on the band structure 0 T 30 shown in Fig. 1. (cid:144) L ´ ¦H,C 20 TC¦ T shape of χ (q) is similar to the universal 2D-electron 10 zz (Lindhard) result [13]. The strong easy-axis response is expected [6, 8, 9] as a result of HH-LH splitting, which 0 favors a spin-3/2 quantization axis perpendicular to the 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2D plane [7]. Interestingly, the behavior of the spin sus- k d(cid:144)Π F ceptibility changes as density is increased. For interme- diate values of hole density, results like that shown in FIG. 3. Mean-field Curie temperatures for 2D-hole-mediated Fig. 2(b) are obtained, exhibiting easy-plane anisotropy easy-axis (TC⊥) and easy-plane (TCk) magnetism as a function in the long-wave-length limit and a nontrivial structure of the 2D-hole Fermi wave vector kF, obtained for a hard- developing at wave vectors comparable to k . The sig- wallconfinementwithwidthdandband-structureparameters F nificant deviation from both the universal-2D-electron applicable to GaAs. 4 The density dependence of χ (0) is directly reflected xx,zz 0.006 k,⊥ in that of T . At the mean-field level, the ordered C state associated with the maximum transition temper- 0.005 Χxx ature will be established. Our results suggest that the 0.004 0 type of magnetic ordering can be modified by changing ŽΧ L tinheac2cDu-mhuolleatdioenn-sliatyye,red.ge.v,icbeysa[2d8ju].stEinagsyt-haxeisgamteagvnoelttiasgme HL(cid:144)RΧii 00..000023 1(cid:144)2HΧxx+Χyy prevailsatlowandhighdensities,whereasanunexpected Χ easy-planemagneticorderemergesatintermediatevalues 0.001 Χyy zz of the density. Also for high densities, a local maximum 0 appearsinχxx(q)atq ≈0.6kF,whichalmostreachesthe 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 value of χ (q = 0). See Fig. 2(c). Even after averag- zz k d(cid:144)Π ing over the polar angle, we find that for k 1.5 π/d F F ∼ the in-plane susceptibility canhavea maximum atq =0 which is as large as χzz(q =0). Thus it may be poss6ible FsyIsGte.m4,.plRoettael-dspinacuenistpsionf-sχ˜u0sc=ep2tπib2imlit0y/(χγi1j~(2Rd)2)oafsaaf2uDnchtioolne that the high-density easy-axisferromagneticstate must of kFd for fixed φR =0 and kFR=10. coexist (or compete) with helical magnetism [12]. Finite-temperatureeffects –Thermalexcitationofspin waves (magnons) suppresses the magnitude of the mag- Fig. 2(c)], we find ν = 2 and ε¯ > 0. In this case a fi- netization below its mean-field value M . This effect is 0 0 nite spin-wave-related critical temperature is obtained. captured by the relation [29, 30] Our discussion of finite-temperature effects was based M(T) 1 on the spin susceptibility obtained for a non-interacting =1 d2q n T , (8) M − 4π2n dZ q 2Dhole systeminaninversion-symmetricquantumwell. 0 I (cid:0) (cid:1) However, recent studies [30] of magnetism mediated by wherenq(T)istheoccupation-numberdistributionfunc- 2D conduction-band carriers showed that the interplay tion of magnon modes at temperature T. A spin-wave- of structural inversionasymmetry and Coulomb interac- related critical temperature is defined by the condition tionscandramaticallyincreasethe stability offerromag- M(T(SW)) = 0 because, for T > T(SW), too many netic order. As the same mechanisms exist for 2D holes, C C magnon excitations will have been excited to sustain moredetailed investigationofsucheffects willbe needed a finite magnetization. In equilibrium, nq(T) is given toconclusivelyestablishthestabletypesofconfined-hole- by the Bose-Einstein distribution function nB(εq) = mediated magnetic order. 1/(eεq/[kBT] 1), which depends on the spin-wave en- Real-spacespinresponse–FouriertransformingEq.(6) − ergy dispersion εq. The latter’s expression in terms of yields the spin susceptibility in real space χ (R), which ij the charge carriers’ q-dependent spin susceptibility de- is relevant, e.g., for the proposed use of RKKY interac- pends on the type of magnetic order (Heisenberg, Ising, tions to couple quantum-dot-confined spins as part of or helical) [29], but the parameterisation quantum-information-processing protocols [14, 16, 17]. n q ν Figure 4 shows the density dependence of χij(R) for ε =IG2 I χ ε¯ +c¯ (9) a 2D hole system. In the low-density limit, we find q 0 0 ν d (cid:20) (cid:18)k (cid:19) (cid:21) F χ χ χ 0, reflecting the strong easy-axis zz ≫ xx ∼ yy ∼ generally holds for the relevant energy range. The di- anisotropy arising due to HH-LH splitting [8, 9]. As the mensionlessquantitiesε¯ , ν, c¯ dependonthefunctional density of 2D holes in the lowest subband increases, in- 0 ν form of the q-dependent spin susceptibility and can es- plane components are observed to become relevant. For sentially be read off Fig. 2. Stability of the magnetic kF ∼1.6π/d we find χxx to be the dominant component order requires both coefficients ε¯0 and c¯ν to be posi- of the spin susceptibility tensor while χzz ∼ χyy ∼ 0. tive. Inserting Eq. (9) into Eq. (8) we obtain an implicit Switchingofthe effectiveHamiltonianthatdescribesthe equationforthecriticaltemperature. Specializingtoour couplingoftwolocalizedspinsatafixeddistanceisthere- situation of 2D-hole-mediated magnetism, we see from fore possible by simply adjusting the density of the 2D Fig. 2(a) that the easy-axis magnetism expected at low hole system in which they are embedded. hole-sheet densities is actually destabilized by magnons Conclusions – Our work illustrates the crucial impor- because ε < 0. Considering the easy-plane magnetism tance of valence-band mixing for the spin-related re- q at intermediate densities, Fig. 2(b) reveals that the as- sponse in confined hole systems, which turns out to sociated magnon dispersion is characterized by ν = 2 be much more strongly affected than the density re- and ε¯ = 0, which again implies destabilization of this sponse [31–33]. It also clarifies the impact of band- 0 magnetic order due to spin-wave excitations. 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