Resonant tunneling of polarized electrons through nonmagnetic III-V semiconductor multiple barriers

The quantum transport of spin-polarized electrons across nonmagnetic III-V semiconductor multiple barriers is considered theoretically. We have calculated the spin dependent transmission coefficient, for conducting electrons transversing lattice-matched In0.53Ga0.47As/GaAs0.5Sb0.5/In0.53Ga0.47As/InP/In0.53Ga0.07As nanostructures with different numbers of asymmetric double barriers, as a function of electron energy and angle of incidence. Spin-orbit split resonances, due to the Rashba term, are observed. The envelope function approximation and the Kane k(.)p model for the bulk are used. For an unpolarized incident beam of electrons, we also obtain the spin polarization of the transmitted beam. The formation of spin dependent minibands of energy with nonzero transmission is observed.