Spin relaxation and decoherence of holes in quantum dots

We investigate heavy-hole spin relaxation and decoherence in quantum dots in perpendicular magnetic fields. We show that at low temperatures the spin decoherence time is 2 times longer than the spin relaxation time. We find that the spin relaxation time for heavy holes can be comparable to or even longer than that for electrons in strongly two-dimensional quantum dots. We discuss the difference in the magnetic-field dependence of the spin relaxation rate due to Rashba or Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling for systems with positive (i.e., GaAs quantum dots) or negative (i.e., InAs quantum dots) g factor.     

Resonant tunneling in magnetic semiconductor tunnel junctions with arbitrary magnetic alignments

Combining an extended Julliere model with transfer matrix method, we study the spin-polarized resonant tunneling in GaMnAs/AlAs/GaAs/AlAs/GaMnAs double barrier ferromagnetic semiconductor (FS) tunnel junctions with the arbitrary angle θ between the magnetic directions of two FS's. It is shown that tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio linearly varies with sin²(θ/2). We also demonstrate that for the heavy and light holes, the properties of the spin-polarized resonant tunneling are obviously different. The present results are expected to be instructive for manufacturing the relevant semiconductor spintronic devices.     

Optical signatures of spin polarization of carriers in quantum dots

We predict theoretically the optical signatures of spin polarization of carriers in self-assembled quantum dots. The emission spectra are mapped out as a function of increasing electron spin polarization for a fixed number of electrons and holes. The spin-polarized spectra are determined using exact diagonalization techniques for up to 12 particles, corresponding to two lowest filled shells. We predict that the spin polarization leads to photon polarization, to redshifts of emission lines due to excess exchange interactions among the spin-polarized electrons, and to a complete breakup of emission lines for spin-polarized electronic shells.     

Surface spin-polarized currents generated in topological insulators by circularly polarized synchrotron radiation and their photoelectron spectroscopy indication

A new method for generating spin-polarized currents in topological insulators has been proposed and investigated. The method is associated with the spin-dependent asymmetry of the generation of holes at the Fermi level for branches of topological surface states with the opposite spin orientation under the circularly polarized synchrotron radiation. The result of the generation of holes is the formation of compensating spin-polarized currents, the value of which is determined by the concentration of the generated holes and depends on the specific features of the electronic and spin structures of the system. The indicator of the formed spin-polarized current can be a shift of the Fermi edge in the photoelectron spectra upon photoexcitation by synchrotron radiation with the opposite circular polarization. The topological insulators with different stoichiometric compositions (Bi_1.5Sb_0.5Te_1.8Se_1.2 and PbBi₂Se₂Te₂) have been investigated. It has been found that there is a correlation in the shifts and generated spin-polarized currents with the specific features of the electronic spin structure. Investigations of the graphene/Pt(111) system have demonstrated the possibility of using this method for other systems with a spin-polarized electronic structure.     

自旋极化有机电致发光器件中单线态与三线态激子的形成及调控

由于有机半导体（OSC）材料自旋弛豫时间长、自旋扩散长度大,OSC自旋器件逐渐成为研究热点.对于有机电致发光器件（OLED）,通过自旋极化电极调控单线态和三线态激子比率是提高其效率的有效方法.本文从漂移扩散方程和载流子浓度连续性方程出发,结合朗之万定律建立了一个自旋注入、输运、复合的理论模型.计算了OSC中的极化电子、空穴浓度,得出了单线态和三线态激子的比率.分析了电场强度、自旋相关界面电导、电极和OSC电导率匹配和电极极化率等因素的影响.计算结果表明：两电极注入反向极化的载流子并提高载流子自旋极化率,有     

Spin-polarized injection into a p-type GaAs layer from a Co2 MnAl injector

Electric luminescence and its circular polarization in a Co2 MnAl injector-based light emitting diode (LED) has been detected at the transition of e-A0 C , where injected spin-polarized electrons recombine with bound holes at carbon acceptors. A spin polarization degree of 24.6% is obtained at 77 K after spin-polarized electrons traverse a distance of 300 nm before they recombine with holes bound at neutral carbon acceptors in a p + -GaAs layer. The large volume of the p + -GaAs layer can facilitate the detection of weak electric luminescence (EL) from e-A 0C emission without being quenched at higher bias as in quantum wells. Moreover, unlike the interband electric luminescence in the p+ -GaAs layer, where the spin polarization of injected electrons is destroyed by a very effective electron-hole exchange scattering (BAP mechanism), the spin polarization of injected electrons seems to survive during their recombination with holes bound at carbon acceptors.     

Optical spin injection and spin lifetime in Ge heterostructures

We demonstrate optical orientation in Ge/SiGe quantum wells and study their spin properties. The ultrafast electron transfer from the center of the Brillouin zone to its edge allows us to achieve high spin polarizations and to resolve the spin dynamics of holes and electrons. The circular polarization degree of the direct gap photoluminescence exceeds the theoretical bulk limit, yielding ～37% and ～85% for transitions with heavy and light holes states, respectively. The spin lifetime of holes at the top of the valence band is estimated to be ～0.5 ps and it is governed by transitions between light and heavy hole states. Electrons at the bottom of the conduction band, on the other hand, have a spin lifetime that exceeds 5?ns below 150?K. Theoretical analysis of the spin relaxation indicates that phonon-induced intervalley scattering dictates the spin lifetime of electrons.     

Sub-shot-noise magnetometry with a correlated spin-relaxation dominated alkali-metal vapor

Spin noise sets fundamental limits to the precision of measurements using spin-polarized atomic vapors, such as performed with sensitive atomic magnetometers. Spin squeezing offers the possibility to extend the measurement precision beyond the standard quantum limit of uncorrelated atoms. Contrary to current understanding, we show that, even in the presence of spin relaxation, spin squeezing can lead to a significant reduction of spin noise, and hence an increase in magnetometric sensitivity, for a long measurement time. This is the case when correlated spin relaxation due to binary alkali-atom collisions dominates independently acting decoherence processes, a situation realized in thermal high atom-density magnetometers and clocks.     

自旋电子学和相干态

自旋电子学是近年来发展起来的一个新研究领域,它研究固体,特别是半导体中的电子自旋相干态,实验发现,自旋相干态能够保持足够长的时间（几百ps量级）,因此有可能用来制造一个固态的量子计算机,但是制造实际的自旋电子器件,首先需要解决的是将自旋极化电子（或穴穴）注入半导体中的方法和如何检测它们。     

Time-domain ab initio simulation of electron and hole relaxation dynamics in a single-wall semiconducting carbon nanotube

The electron and hole relaxation in the (7, 0) zigzag carbon nanotube is simulated in time domain using a surface-hopping Kohn-Sham density functional theory. Following a photoexcitation between the second van Hove singularities, the electrons and holes decay to the Fermi level on characteristic subpicosecond time scales. Surprisingly, despite a lower density of states, the electrons relax faster than the holes. The relaxation is primarily mediated by the high-frequency longitudinal optical (LO) phonons. Hole dynamics are more complex than the electron dynamics: in addition to the LO phonons, holes couple to lower frequency breathing modes and decay over multiple time scales.     

The dependence of relaxation kinetics of photoluminescence from interband transitions in InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells on their distance from an interface with Au

Kinetics of relaxation of photoluminescence from the interband transition between dimensionalquantization levels of electrons and holes in InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells as a function of their distance to an interface with Au is investigated. It is demonstrated that the photoluminescence relaxation time becomes several times shorter when the distance from the quantum well to the interface decreases to several tens of nanometers. It is established that the photoluminescence relaxation time at a shorter wavelength corresponding to a recombination transition between excited states of electrons and holes in the quantum well is shorter than that at a longer wavelength corresponding to a recombination transition between the ground states. A theoretical model explaining this phenomenon is proposed.     

Effect of the external electric field on the kinetics of recombination of photoexcited carriers in a ZnSe/BeTe type II heterostructure

The kinetics of the radiative recombination of photoexcited electrons and holes for a spatially direct transition in a ZnSe/BeTe type II heterostructure in an external electric field has been analyzed. A strong decrease (more than two orders of magnitude) in the photoluminescence intensity, as well as a decrease in the duration of the relaxation of the direct transition, is observed when the electric field is applied. The energy levels and wavefunctions of electrons and holes in the ZnSe/BeTe heterostructure subjected to the electric field have been numerically calculated. It has been shown that the observed decrease in the photoluminescence intensity and duration of the relaxation of the direct transition is due to both an increase in the radiative recombination time and an increase in the rate of escape of photoexcited holes from the above-barrier level in the ZnSe layer to the BeTe layer.     

Nuclear Quadrupole spin-lattice relaxation in Rhombohedral Arsenic

The temperature dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation time T₁ in rhombohedral arsenic has been measured by nuclear quadrupole resonance. The relaxation time is inversely proportional to the temperature and of a magnitude which indicates that the relaxation results from the Fermi contact interaction of the conduction electrons and holes and the arsenic nuclei. The density of electrons and holes at the site of the nucleus, averaged over the Fermi surface is approximately 2.6 × 10²¹ carriers cm^?3.     

Electric dipole spin resonance for heavy holes in quantum dots

We propose and analyze a new method for manipulation of a heavy-hole spin in a quantum dot. Because of spin-orbit coupling between states with different orbital momenta and opposite spin orientations, an applied rf electric field induces transitions between spin-up and spin-down states. This scheme can be used for detection of heavy-hole spin resonance signals, for the control of the spin dynamics in two-dimensional systems, and for determining important parameters of heavy holes such as the effective g factor, mass, spin-orbit coupling constants, spin relaxation, and decoherence times.     

Investigation of the effects of spin injection of charge carriers from a ferromagnetic Ni(Co)/GaAs Schottky contact in quantum well heterostructures

The circularly polarized electroluminescence of quantum-confined InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures with a ferromagnetic Ni(Co)/GaAs Schottky contact has been investigated. It is shown that the high degree of circular polarization (to 42%) is due to the injection of spin-polarized holes from the ferromagnetic metal. The dependence of the spin injection efficiency on the type of the metal/GaAs interface and the quantum well depth has been analyzed. The spin coherence length of holes was found to be ≈80 nm at 1.5 K.     

Electron spin orientation under optically stimulated radiative recombination

Optical spin orientation of electrons (holes) in radiative transitions stimulated by circularly polarized photons is considered. It is shown that this effect can be used to advantage in developing an optical generator of spin-polarized carriers operating on a principle similar to that of a semiconductor laser.     

Mesoscopic charge relaxation

We consider charge relaxation in the mesoscopic equivalent of an RC circuit. For a single-channel, spin-polarized contact, self-consistent scattering theory predicts a universal charge relaxation resistance equal to half a resistance quantum independent of the transmission properties of the contact. This prediction is in good agreement with recent experimental results. We use a tunneling Hamiltonian formalism and show in Hartree-Fock approximation that at zero temperature the charge relaxation resistance is universal even in the presence of Coulomb blockade effects. We explore departures from universality as a function of temperature and magnetic field.     

New mechanism of the spin-galvanic effect

A mechanism of the spin-galvanic effect associated with spin-dependent scattering is proposed. The electrical current in a system of spin-polarized two-dimensional carriers is induced due to interference of spin-preserving scattering processes and spin relaxation processes. The spin-galvanic effect is studied for heterostructures with the Elliott-Yafet and Dyakonov-Perel spin relaxation mechanisms. The proposed contribution to the spin-galvanic current may be dominant in A₃B₅ asymmetric quantum wells.     

Electrical detection of spin accumulation in a p-type GaAs quantum well

We report on experiments in which a spin-polarized current is injected from a GaMnAs ferromagnetic electrode into a GaAs layer through an AlAs barrier. The resulting spin polarization in GaAs is detected by measuring how the tunneling current, to a second GaMnAs ferromagnetic electrode, depends on the orientation of its magnetization. Our results can be accounted for by sequential tunneling with the nonrelaxed spin splitting of the chemical potential, that is, spin accumulation, in GaAs. We discuss the conditions on the hole spin relaxation time in GaAs that are required to obtain the large effects we observe.     

Observation of magnetic field dependent ultrasonic relaxation time in p-InSb

Ultrasonic attenuation and sound velocity measurements are presented for p-InSb (≈ 10¹⁴cm^?3) at low temperatures in high magnetic fields. A magnetic field dependent relaxation time is observed, which is interpreted as being due to a relaxation process via holes in the valence band.