Atomic-scale understanding of high thermal stability of the Mo/CoFeB/MgO spin injector for spin-injection in remanence

Remanent spin injection into a spin light emitting diode (spin-LED) at zero magnetic field is a prerequisite for future application of spin optoelectronics. Here, we demonstrate the remanent spin injection into GaAs based LEDs with a thermally stable Mo/CoFeB/MgO spin injector. A systematic study of magnetic properties, polarization-resolved electroluminescence (EL) and atomic-scale interfacial structures has been performed in comparison with the Ta/CoFeB/MgO spin injector. The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) of the Mo/CoFeB/MgO injector shows more advanced thermal stability than that of the Ta/CoFeB/MgO injector and robust PMA can be maintained up to 400 °C annealing. The remanent circular polarization (PC) of EL from the Mo capped spin-LED reaches a maximum value of 10% after 300 °C annealing, and even remains at 4% after 400 °C annealing. In contrast, the Ta capped spin-LED almost completely loses the remanent PC under 400 °C annealing. Combined advanced electron microscopy and spectroscopy studies reveal that a large amount of Ta diffuses into the MgO tunneling barrier through the CoFeB layer after 400 °C annealing. However, the diffusion of Mo into CoFeB is limited and never reaches the MgO barrier. These findings afford a comprehensive perspective to use the highly thermally stable Mo/CoFeB/MgO spin injector for efficient electrical spin injection in remanence.

VSPIN: a new model relying on the vectorial description of the laser field for predicting the polarization dynamics of spin-injected V(e)CSELs

A new vectorial model (VSPIN) based on the Jones formalism is proposed to describe the polarization dynamics of spin injected V(e)CSELs. This general modelling framework accounts for spin injection effects as a gain circular dichroism in the active medium and provides guidelines for developing functional spin-controlled lasers. We investigate the detrimental role of phase anisotropy on polarization switching and show that it can be overcome by preparing the laser cavity to achieve efficient polarization switching under low effective spin injection. The VSPIN model predictions have been confirmed experimentally and explain the polarization behavior of spin-VCSELs reported in the literature.

Accurate measurement of the residual birefringence in VECSEL: Towards understanding of the polarization behavior under spin-polarized pumping

In this paper we report birefringence measurements of an optically pumped (100)-oriented InGaAs/GaAsP multiple quantum well (MQWs) Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VECSEL) in oscillating conditions. The proposed technique relies on the measurement in the microwave domain of the beatnote between the oscillating mode and the amplified spontaneous emission of the cross-polarized non-lasing field lying in the following longitudinal mode. This technique is shown to offer extremely high sensitivity and accuracy enabling to track the amount of residual birefringence according to the laser operation conditions. The experience fits within the broader framework of polarization selection in spin-injected lasers.