  We study the electrical detection of spin accumulation at a
ferromagnet-silicon interface, which can be verified by measuring a Hanle
effect in three-terminal lateral devices. The device structures used consist of
a semiconducting Si channel and a high-quality Schottky tunnel contact. In a
low current-bias region, the Hanle-effect curves are observed only under
forward bias conditions. This can be considered that the electrical
detectability of the forward-biased contact is higher than that of the
reverse-biased contact. This is possible evidence for the detection of
spin-polarized electrons created in a Si channel.
