Electrical Control of Ballistic Spin-Dependent Conductance Through the 2D-Electron Gas of GaAs Heterostructure.

We investigated the effect of magnetic-electric barriers on electron transport in the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) of a Al-GaAs-GaAs heterostructure. It is found that electric potential can be controlled to achieve both spin and charge conductance modulation in this material system, with the requisite condition being the presence of magnetic barriers to break the time reversal symmetry of the system. The use of electrical potential rather than applied magnetic fields as an external control parameter to achieve spin/charge conductance modulation promises a simpler device design for practical realization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]