Spin transport in ferromagnet-InSb nanowire quantum devices*

Semiconductor nanowires (NWs) such as InSb are a leading platform for realizing future Majorana zero modes based on quantum computing¹. However, the appliance of external magnetic fields can suppress the superconductivity and place geometric restrictions on the device. These challenges can be circumvented by integrating magnetic elements with the NWs. In our experiments, by fabrication ferromagnetic contacts, we investigate spin transport across InSb NWs in a quasi-1D ballistic regime². Hysteretic magnetoconductance can be observed proving spin-polarized transport across the NWs. Moreover, we show that electrostatic gating tunes the observed hysteretic signal and also reveals a transport regime where the device acts as a spin filter.

1. Mourik, V. et al. Signatures of Majorana Fermions in Hybrid Superconductor-Semiconductor Nanowire Devices. Science 336, 1003–1007 (2012).
2. Yang, Z. et al. Spin transport in ferromagnet-InSb nanowire quantum devices, arXiv:1909.07431 (2019).