title: Atomic-Scale Engineering of Abrupt Interface for Direct Spin Contact of Ferromagnetic Semiconductor with Silicon.
abstract: Control and manipulation of the spin of conduction electrons in industrial semiconductors such as silicon are suggested as an operating principle for a new generation of spintronic devices. Coherent injection of spin-polarized carriers into Si is a key to this novel technology. It is contingent on our ability to engineer flawless interfaces of Si with a spin injector to prevent spin-flip scattering. The unique properties of the ferromagnetic semiconductor EuO make it a prospective spin injector into silicon. Recent advances in the epitaxial integration of EuO with Si bring the manufacturing of a direct spin contact within reach. Here we employ transmission electron microscopy to study the interface EuO/Si with atomic-scale resolution. We report techniques for interface control on a submonolayer scale through surface reconstruction. Thus we prevent formation of alien phases and imperfections detrimental to spin injection. This development opens a new avenue for semiconductor spintronics.
authors.affiliation: National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia.
authors.forename: Dmitry V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Averyanov
authors.affiliation: National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia.
authors.forename: Christina G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Karateeva
authors.affiliation: National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia.
authors.forename: Igor A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Karateev
authors.affiliation: National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia.
authors.forename: Andrey M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tokmachev
authors.affiliation: National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia.
authors.forename: Alexander L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Vasiliev
authors.affiliation: National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia.
authors.forename: Sergey I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Zolotarev
authors.affiliation: National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia.
authors.forename: Igor A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Likhachev
authors.affiliation: National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", Kurchatov Square 1, Moscow 123182, Russia.
authors.forename: Vyacheslav G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Storchak