Theory of Weak Localization in Ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As

Abstract

We study quantum interference corrections to the conductivity in (Ga,Mn)As ferromagnetic semiconductors using a model with disordered valence band holes coupled to localized Mn moments through a p-d kinetic-exchange interaction. We find that at Mn concentrations above 1% quantum interference corrections lead to negative magnetoresistance, i.e. to weak localization (WL) rather than weak antilocalization (WAL). Our work highlights key qualitative differences between (Ga,Mn)As and previously studied toy model systems, and pinpoints the mechanism by which exchange splitting in the ferromagnetic state converts valence band WAL into WL. We comment on recent experimental studies and theoretical analyses of low-temperature magnetoresistance in (Ga,Mn)As which have been variously interpreted as implying both WL and WAL and as requiring an impurity-band interpretation of transport in metallic (Ga,Mn)As.

16 pages, 10 figures; submitted to Phys. Rev. B

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Cited by in corpus (11)

• Spin-dependent phenomena and device concepts explored in (Ga,Mn)As
• Weak Localization and Antilocalization in Topological Insulator Thin Films with Coherent Bulk-Surface Coupling
• Interface-induced magnetism in perovskite quantum wells
• Electronic structure of ferromagnetic semiconductor Ga1-xMnxAs probed by sub-gap magneto-optical spectroscopy
• Spin-orbit scattering in quantum diffusion of massive Dirac fermions
• Influence of an anomalous temperature-dependence of the phase coherence length on the conductivity of magnetic topological insulators
• Signatures of spin-preserving symmetries in two-dimensional hole gases
• Weak Localization in Systems with Chiral Spin Textures and Skyrmion Crystals
• Bismuth doping induced enhancement of the spin-orbit coupling strength in the prototype dilute ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As: a review
• Direct probing of band-structure Berry phase in diluted magnetic semiconductors
• Weak anti-localization in spin-orbit coupled lattice systems: effect of non-adiabatic transitions and estimation of spin relaxation length