Spin polarization created by spin-orbit coupling for electrons in a hybrid magnetic-electric-barrier semiconductor microstructure

Abstract We theoretically study spin-polarized transport induced by spin-orbit coupling (SOC) as well as the Zeeman interaction for electrons in a hybrid magnetic-electric-barrier semiconductor microstructure, which is constructed on surface of GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs heterostructure by patterning a ferromagnetic stripe and a Schottky-metal stripe in parallel configuration. Electron-spin polarization is found to originate mainly from spin-orbit coupling. Spin polarization can be manipulated by adjusting Rashba or Dresselhause-SOC strength, which may result into a tunable spin filter for spintronics devices.