Electrical magnetization reversal in ferromagnetic III-V semiconductors

Introduction of a high concentration of manganese in III-V semiconductors, such as InAs and GaAs, results in carrier-induced ferromagnetism, which allows us to integrate ferromagnetism in nonmagnetic heterostructures and which modifies their magnetic properties through electric-field control of carrier concentration. The properties of ferromagnetism can in many cases be semi-quantitatively understood by the p-d Zener model, which is qualitatively different from conventional ferromagnetic metals. These ferromagnetic III-V semiconductors also offer the unique opportunity of examining spin-dependent phenomena observed so far only in metallic systems. Here, we review our experimental study on electrical manipulation of magnetization in these ferromagnetic III-V semiconductors. We first describe the results of electrically assisted magnetization reversal in ferromagnetic semiconductor (In, Mn)As field-effect transistor structures. The coercivity as well as ferromagnetic transition temperature can be controlled through the modification of carrier concentration by applied electric fields in a gated structure. We then present electrical magnetization reversal by spin-transfer torque exerted by spin-polarized currents at low threshold current density (∼10 ⁵ A cm^-2) in (Ga, Mn)As-based magnetic tunnel junctions.