Spin-dependent resonant tunneling through 6 μm diameter double barrier resonant tunneling diode

A vertical resonant tunneling diode based on the paramagnetic Zn1-x-yMnyCdxSe system has been fabricated with a pillar diameter down to similar to 6 mu m. The diode exhibits high quality resonant tunneling characteristics through the electron subband of the quantum well at a temperature of 4.2 K, where a clear phonon replica was observable in addition to the primary peak. Both peaks show a giant Zeeman splitting in an applied magnetic field. Employing a self-consistent real-time Green's function method, the current-voltage characteristic was simulated, showing good agreement with the measured result. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.