Polarized optical emission due to decay or recombination of spin-polarized injected carriers
US5874749A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 29, 1993 |
| Grant date | Feb 23, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 29, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10H20/832
Abstract
A device for producing circularly polarized optical emission includes a light emitting semiconductor heterostructure, further including at least one semiconducting layer; a ferromagnetic contact having a magnetic moment, in electrical contact with a layer of the semiconductor heterostructure; and a contact electrically connected to a different region of the semiconductor heterostructure. This light emitting semiconductor heterostructure may be a light emitting diode (LED), or some other structure. The ferromagnetic contact injects spin polarized carriers (electrons or holes) into the semiconducting device, which recombine with their opposing carriers to produce circularly polarized light. A process for producing circularly polarized optical emission includes applying a bias across a light emitting semiconductor heterostructure having a contact with a net magnetic moment, therby injecting spin polarized carriers into the light emitting semiconductor heterostructure.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.