Spin polarization in a two-dimensional electron gas modulated periodically by ferromagnetic and Schottky metal stripes

Spin-dependent electron transport in a two-dimensional electron gas, periodically modulated by parallel ferromagnetic and Schottky metal stripes, is studied theoretically. Assuming ballistic transport, the spin-dependent transmission, conductance, and polarization are evaluated for a range of experimentally accessible parameters. The structures of these quantities for one ferromagnetic-Schottky stripe unit can be significantly enhanced with increasing the number of units and highly polarized transport can be achieved. This structure is rounded off but survives to a good extent for finite temperatures of a few degrees. Results are given for parallel as well as antiparallel magnetizations of the ferromagnetic stripes between two consecutive units. In the latter a high degree of spin selection results and the spin polarization can be controlled very efficiently with Schottky metal stripes.