Application of cobalt in spin light-emitting Schottky diodes with InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells

Spin injection light-emitting diodes based on heterostructures with InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells and a ferromagnetic metal (Co) contact layer are fabricated and studied. The effect of the penetration of cobalt in GaAs is experimentally detected. It is demonstrated that the use of tunnel-thin (1–3 nm) Al2O3 layers as diffusion barriers leads to a decrease in the concentration of cobalt atoms in the semiconductor surface layers. In diodes with the Co/Al2O3/GaAs contact, circularly polarized radiation is detected, which is caused by the injection of spin-polarized holes from the ferromagnetic contact into the semiconductor.