Title: Room-temperature spin transport in n-Ge probed by four-terminal nonlocal measurements,
Abstract: We demonsrtate electrical spin injection and detection in $n$-type Ge
($n$-Ge) at room temperature using four-terminal nonlocal spin-valve and
Hanle-effect measurements in lateral spin-valve (LSV) devices with
Heusler-alloy Schottky tunnel contacts. The spin diffusion length
($\lambda$$_{\rm Ge}$) of the Ge layer used ($n \sim$ 1 $\times$ 10$^{19}$
cm$^{-3}$) at 296 K is estimated to be $\sim$ 0.44 $\pm$ 0.02 $\mu$m.
Room-temperature spin signals can be observed reproducibly at the low bias
voltage range ($\le$ 0.7 V) for LSVs with relatively low resistance-area
product ($RA$) values ($\le$ 1 k$\Omega$$\mu$m$^{2}$). This means that the
Schottky tunnel contacts used here are more suitable than ferromagnet/MgO
tunnel contacts ($RA \ge$ 100 k$\Omega$$\mu$m$^{2}$) for developing Ge
spintronic applications.