Spin-polarized transport in II–VI diluted magnetic semiconductors superlattices

We studied the spin-polarized charge densities in II–VI-based diluted magnetic superlattices formed of p-doped ZnTe:Mg/ZnTe:TM/ZnTe:Mg non-magnetic/magnetic/non-magnetic layers, with TM standing for transition metal. The calculations were performed within a self-consistent k.p method, in which are also taken into account the exchange correlation effects in the local density approximation. Our results show a limit for the width of the non-magnetic layer for which the difference between the opposite spin charge densities is maximized, indicating the best conditions to obtain full polarization by varying the TM content. We also discuss these effects in the calculated photoluminescence spectra. Our findings point to the possibility of engineering the spin-polarized charge distribution by varying the widths of the magnetic and non-magnetic layers and/or varying the TM concentration in the magnetic layers, thus providing a guide for future experiments.

► Full spin-polarized transition metal p-doped DMS are predicted.
► The spin-polarized hole densities are tuned by changing TM content and/or superlattice layer widths.
► Effects on calculate PL spectra are analyzed.
► Potential use in spintronics.