Properties of the resonant tunneling diode in external magnetic field with inclusion of the Rashba effect

•We model electronic properties of a heterostructure placed in external magnetic field.•We take into consideration impact of the Rashba effect and derive relevant equations.•Investigation of spin currents is presented in detail.•At low temperatures step-like features appear in the I–V characteristics.

Influence of the Rashba effect on electronic properties of resonant tunneling diode in an external magnetic field is analyzed in this paper. Wave functions and energies, as well as expressions for currents densities, are determined for electrons of both spins. Appearances of many modes due to the external magnetic field induce irregularities in the current–voltage characteristics, which are observable in case when the thermal energy is lower than, or comparable to, the energy difference of two consecutive Landau levels. Current density through the heterostructure is investigated with emphasis on the degree of spin polarization; further, spin transfer is shown to depend on the direction of external magnetic field.