Electrical injection of spin-polarized electrons and electrical detection of dynamic nuclear polarization using a Heusler alloy spin source

We demonstrated electrical spin injection from a half-metallic Heusler alloy Co2MnSi electrode into a GaAs channel through observation of a spin-valve signal and a Hanle signal in the four-terminal nonlocal geometry. Furthermore, we electrically detected a nuclear field acting on electron spins, which was produced by the dynamic nuclear polarization, through observation of transient oblique Hanle signals. Samples with a Co2MnSi spin source exhibited higher spin-injection efficiency and a larger nuclear field compared to samples with a Co50Fe50 spin source, suggesting that the spin polarization of Co2MnSi is higher. This higher polarization is promising for realizing future spintronic devices and for understanding spin interactions as well as spin-dependent transport properties in a semiconductor channel.