Efficient spin injection into GaAs quantum well across Fe3O4 spin filter

We demonstrate efficient spin injection into GaAs across an Fe3O4 electrode. Spin polarization of electrons injected into a GaAs quantum well becomes significantly large below 120 K, reaching a value of 33% at 10 K. The large spin polarization is likely due to spin filtering effect across the insulating ferrimagnetic Fe3O4 layer at the interface. The results indicate that spin filtering effect across Fe3O4 is a very promising means to enhance the spin injection efficiency into semiconductors. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3357436]