Biphoton light with hidden polarization and its polarization tomography

Polarization properties of biphoton light, emitted by an optical parametric oscillator, are studied both theoretically and experimentally. The theoretical treatment is performed using the Stokes operator formalism; polarization density matrix of the light fields; and the quasi-probability function, which represents an analog of the field Wigner function. The hidden polarization of biphoton light is demonstrated experimentally with the help of elements of polarization tomography.     

Quenching spin decoherence in diamond through spin bath polarization

We experimentally demonstrate that the decoherence of a spin by a spin bath can be completely eliminated by fully polarizing the spin bath. We use electron paramagnetic resonance at 240 GHz and 8 T to study the electron-spin coherence time T2 of nitrogen-vacancy centers and nitrogen impurities in diamond from room temperature down to 1.3 K. A sharp increase of T2 is observed below the Zeeman energy (11.5 K). The data are well described by a suppression of the flip-flop induced spin bath fluctuations due to thermal electron-spin polarization. T2 saturates at approximately 250 micros below 2 K, where the polarization of the electron-spin bath exceeds 99%.     

Electron spin polarization of doublet state species due to interaction with excited triplet states in single crystals

Doublet states species trapped in crystalline solids show transient spin polarized EPR spectra if the crystal is illuminated by visible or UV light. The spin polarization is accounted for by the interaction of the doublet species with photoexcited triplet states. The mechanism of the process producing the spin polarization is examined and some experimental examples are discussed. The analysis of the time evolution of the transient variation of the EPR signal allows the measurements of the spin lattice relaxation time and in some cases of the diffusion rate of mobile triplet excitations in the crystal lattice.     

Dynamical spin polarization in single-layer graphene

In the present work the dynamical behavior of $\mathrm{\pi }\mathrm{-}\mathrm{electronic}$ spin in graphene is investigated. The $\mathrm{\pi }\mathrm{-}\mathrm{electron}$ is under the influence of a normal uniform magnetic field and the Rashba spin–orbit coupling. Introducing a Casimir operator, we show that the governing Hamiltonian and, consequently, the time-evolution matrix is block-diagonal. We then proceed to calculate the temporal behavior of different spin components, when it is initially in-plane polarized. Our calculations show that the spin is dynamically polarized in a plane normal to the graphene sheet and follows the patterns of collapse-revivals. The dependence of amplitudes as well as the collapse-revivals’ periods on the external field and the Rashba spin–orbit coupling is also reported.     

Current-induced spin polarization in strained semiconductors

The polarization of conduction electron spins due to an electrical current is observed in strained nonmagnetic semiconductors using static and time-resolved Faraday rotation. The density, lifetime, and orientation rate of the electrically polarized spins are characterized by a combination of optical and electrical methods. In addition, the dynamics of the current-induced spins are investigated by utilizing electrical pulses generated from a photoconductive switch. These results demonstrate the possibility of a spin source for semiconductor spintronic devices without the use of magnetic materials.     

Electron spin polarization in field emission

The field emission microscope can be extended to determine the directionally weighted spin-dependent surface density of states of magnetic metals or to obtain information on the electronic structure of metal to magnetic-semiconductor interfaces. We describe the techniques of spin polarization measurements in field emission. The measurement of Kisker et al. on ferromagnetic EuS evaporated on W are discussed along with recent investigations on Ni.     

Electron spin polarization in uranium sulfide

We present spin polarization and energy distribution curves of photo-electrons from US and compare them with a density of states calculation based on a cluster method. For photon energies hv ≤ 11 eV the photo-electron spin polarization is negative. Near threshold a structure is observed in the spectra, which is attributed to emission from the 5f-states.     

Electrically tunable spin polarization in a carbon nanotube spin diode

We have studied the current through a carbon-nanotube quantum dot with one ferromagnetic and one normal-metal lead. For the values of gate voltage at which the normal lead is resonant with the single available nondegenerate energy level on the dot, we observe a pronounced decrease in the current for one bias direction. We show that this rectification is spin dependent, and that it stems from the interplay between the spin accumulation and the Coulomb blockade on the quantum dot. The degree of resulting spin polarization is fully and precisely tunable using the gate and bias voltages.     

Current-induced spin polarization of holes in tellurium

The current-induced optical activity in a tellurium single crystal has been experimentally investigated in the mid-infrared spectral region. The phenomenological theory of the current-induced optical activity has been considered and the microscopic mechanism of this phenomenon has been described. The dependence of the degree of spin polarization of holes in tellurium on the electric current density has been determined. An approximate analytical expression relating the current-induced optical activity to the degree of spin polarization of holes has been obtained.     

Sequential spin polarization of the Fermi surface pockets in URu2Si2 and its implications for the hidden order

Using Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations measured in URu2Si2 over a broad range in a magnetic field of 11-45 T, we find a cascade of field-induced Fermi surface changes within the hidden order phase I and further signatures of oscillations within field-induced phases III and V [previously discovered by Kim et al., [Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 256401 (2003)]. A comparison of kinetic and Zeeman energies indicates a pocket-by-pocket polarization of the Fermi surface leading up to the destruction of the hidden order phase I at ≈35 T. The anisotropy of the Zeeman energy driving the transitions in URu2Si2 points to an itinerant hidden order parameter involving quasiparticles whose spin degrees of freedom depart significantly from those of free electrons.     

Electron spin polarization in a rotating triplet

The triplet model of electron spin polarization in fluid media is evaluated. The model consists of an initial singlet molecule rotating in a static, externally applied magnetic field. Intersystem crossing into different zero-field states is represented by a rate matrix diagonal in the molecular frame, and this matrix is expressed as an effective spin operator. The triplet rotates, and the motion affects the polarization in the laboratory frame, and also causes spin relaxation in the triplet manifold. The triplet is chemically quenched, and the polarization appears in the doublet fragments. The model is treated in a density matrix formalism and on the basis of anisotropic rotational diffusion of the triplet molecule. Explicit expressions are obtained in terms of the molecular parameters, the various rate constants, and the rotational correlation time.     

Optical nuclear spin polarization in quantum dots

Hyperfine interaction between electron spin and randomly oriented nuclear spins is a key issue of electron coherence for quantum information/computation. We propose an efficient way to establish high polarization of nuclear spins and reduce the intrinsic nuclear spin fluctuations. Here, we polarize the nuclear spins in semiconductor quantum dot(QD) by the coherent population trapping(CPT) and the electric dipole spin resonance(EDSR) induced by optical fields and ac electric fields. By tuning the optical fields, we can obtain a powerful cooling background based on CPT for nuclear spin polarization. The EDSR can enhance the spin flip–flop rate which may increase the cooling efficiency. With the help of CPT and EDSR, an enhancement of 1300 times of the electron coherence time can be obtained after a 10-ns preparation time.     

Spontaneous spin polarization in quantum point contacts

We use spatial spin separation by a magnetic focusing technique to probe the polarization of quantum point contacts. The point contacts are fabricated from p-type GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures. A finite polarization is measured in the low-density regime, when the conductance of a point contact is tuned to < 2e2/h. Polarization is stronger in samples with a well-defined "0.7 structure."     

Dynamic nuclear polarization in electron spin echo

It is shown that under the action of a proper microwave pulse sequence the equilibrium polarization of the electron spin may be transferred dynamically to the longitudinal nuclear magnetization which will oscillate due to the nuclear spin precession around the effective fields relating to differnt electron quantum number manifolds. These oscillations may be measured directly in the radiofrequency band. Analytical formulae are obtained for the case when all the nuclei coupled to an unpaired electron have spins of 1/2.     

Density-dependent spin polarization in ultra-low-disorder quantum wires

There is controversy as to whether a one-dimensional (1D) electron gas can spin polarize in the absence of a magnetic field. Together with a simple model, we present conductance measurements on ultra-low-disorder quantum wires supportive of a spin polarization at B=0. A spin energy gap is indicated by the presence of a feature in the range (0.5-0.7)x2e(2)/h in conductance data. Importantly, it appears that the spin gap is not constant but a function of the electron density. Data obtained using a bias spectroscopy technique are consistent with the spin gap widening further as the Fermi level is increased.     

Nonexponential decay of spin polarization in rubidium vapor

Experimental data on the decay of spin polarization in rubidium vapor are compared with inferences of the theory developed by the authors for spin-polarized Boltzmann gases. It is demonstrated that the nonexponential pattern of polarization decay points to the anisotropy of the indicatrix of inelastic scattering of rubidium atoms at high temperatures. Estimates are obtained of the degree of anisotropy of such inelastic scattering, i.e., scattering with variation of total spin. Under the experimental conditions, the indicatrix of inelastic scattering turns out to be highly extended forward, with the degree of anisotropy of the order of 1000.