Electron spin dynamics in a self-assembled semiconductor quantum dot: the limit of low magnetic fields

Using the trion as an optical probe, we uncover novel electron spin dynamics in CdSe/ZnSe Stranski-Krastanov quantum dots. The longitudinal spin lifetime obeys an inverse power law associated with recharging processes in the dot ensemble. No hint at spin-orbit mediated spin relaxation is found. At very weak magnetic fields (< 50 mT), electron spin dynamics related to the hyperfine interaction with the lattice nuclei is uncovered. A strong Knight field gives rise to nuclear ordering and formation of dynamical polarization on a 100-micros time scale under continuous electron spin pumping. The associated spin transients are temperature robust and can be observed up to 100 K.     

NMR of multipolar spin states excitated in strongly inhomogeneous magnetic fields

The possibility of exciting and filtering various multipolar spin states in proton NMR like dipolar encoded longitudinal magnetization (LM), double-quantum (DQ) coherences, and dipolar order (DO) in strongly inhomogeneous static and radio-frequency magnetic fields is investigated. For this purpose pulse sequences which label and manipulate the multipolar spin states in a specific way were implemented on the NMR-MOUSE (mobile universal surface explorer). The performance of the pulse sequences was also tested in homogeneous fields on a solid-state high-field NMR spectrometer. The theoretical justification of these procedures was shown for a rigid two-spin 1/2 system coupled by dipolar interactions. Dipolar encoded longitudinal magnetization decay curves, double-quantum and dipolar-order buildup curves, as well as double-quantum decay curves were recorded with the NMR-MOUSE for natural rubber samples with different crosslink density. The possibility of using these multipolar spin states for investigations of strained elastomers by NMR-MOUSE is also shown. These curves give access to quantitative values of the ratio of the total residual dipolar couplings of the protons in the series of samples which are in good agreement with those measured in homogeneous fields.     

Special features of wide-band EPR spectroscopy of singlet states in weak magnetic fields

A resonance change in microwave absorption in zero magnetic field, which is not due to magnetic-field dependence of the energy levels of the spin systems, is observed for a number of non-Kramers paramagnetic ions (Cr²⁺, Ni²⁺, Fe²⁺) in synthetic forsterite. It is shown that these signals could be due to narrowing of the homogeneous spin packet of an inhomogeneously broadened EPR line in zero magnetic field. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 68, No. 5, 370–375 (10 September 1998)     

Spin singlet mott states and evidence for spin singlet quantum condensates of spin-one bosons in lattices

We have investigated spin singlet Mott states of spin-one bosons with antiferromagnetic interactions. These spin singlet states do not break rotational symmetry and exhibit remarkably different macroscopic properties compared with nematic Mott states of spin-one bosons. We demonstrate that the dynamics of spin singlet Mott states is fully characterized by even- or odd-class quantum dimer models. The difference between spin singlet Mott states for even and odd numbers of atoms per site can be attributed to a selection rule in the low energy sectors of on-site Hilbert spaces; alternatively, it can also be attributed to an effect of Berry’s phases on bosonic Mott states. We also discuss evidence for spin singlet quantum condensate of spin-one atoms. Our main finding is that in a projected spin singlet Hilbert space, the low energy physics of spin-one bosons is equivalent to that of a Bose-Hubbard model for spinless bosons interacting via Ising gauge fields. The other major finding is spin-charge separation in some one-dimensional Mott states. We propose charge-e spin singlet superfluid for an odd number of atoms per lattice site and charge-2e spin singlet superfluid for an even number of atoms per lattice site in one-dimensional lattices. All discussions in this article are limited to integer numbers of bosons per site.     

Long-lived states in solution NMR: selection rules for intramolecular dipolar relaxation in low magnetic fields

Recent work has shown that singlet states of two-spin systems in low magnetic fields can have lifetimes up to an order of magnitude longer than the usual spin-lattice relaxation time. This result may enable new applications of NMR, and in particular hyperpolarized NMR via parahydrogen-induced polarization, to the study of slow processes that take place over previously inaccessible timescales. At present it is unclear whether similar results apply to multi-spin systems, or if these long lifetimes are a peculiarity of the two-spin case. Moderately long-lived states have been observed in systems containing more than two spins, although the mechanisms that prolong their lifetimes are not well understood. Here we present formalism for the study of relaxation in multi-spin systems in low magnetic fields. This approach is used to derive a family of quantum-mechanical selection rules governing intramolecular dipolar relaxation at low field that may account for the extended lifetimes observed in multi-spin systems.     

Effect of periodically time-dependent magnetic fields on a population of spin states of radical pairs

The time dependences for a population of radical pair spin states and the amplitudes of the transitions between them are calculated for magnetic fields of complex configuration. The abovementioned values are derived directly from the solution to the Liouville equation for the components of a spin density matrix for a radical pair. The oscillating mechanism of the relaxation of partial populations of spin levels upon the monotonous reduction of the full population was established in the course of our calculations.     

Ordering of the three-dimensional Heisenberg spin glass in magnetic fields

Spin and chirality orderings of the three-dimensional Heisenberg spin glass are studied under magnetic fields in light of the recently developed spin-chirality decoupling-recoupling scenario. It is found by Monte Carlo simulations that the chiral-glass transition and the chiral-glass ordered state, which are essentially of the same character as their zero-field counterparts, occur under magnetic fields. The implication to the experimental phase diagram is discussed.     

Dynamics of nuclear spins appearing in transport measurements of an inter-edge spin diode in tilted magnetic fields

In a wide range of magnetic fields nonlinear transport between spin polarized edge channels is studied. The observed hysteresis of the I–V characteristic is attributed to the dynamic nuclear spin polarization due to the electronic spin-flip processes. We find extremely long nuclear spin relaxation times in the regime where the hyperfine interaction with electrons is switched off.     

Transverse spin relaxation of spin carriers diffusing in spatially periodic magnetic fields

An exact solution of the Bloch–Torrey equation that covers the entire range of relative diffusivities D between the spin carriers and the magnetic structure (due to, e.g., spin‐density waves) is given for the transverse relaxation of an initally uniformly polarized spin system under the influence of a magnetic field varying sinusoidally in space. Explicit closed‐form results for the short‐time relaxation are obtained making use of Laplace transforms, the three‐term recurrence relations associated with Mathieu’s equation, and novel sum rules. At intermediate diffusivities the transverse polarization exhibits a novel long‐time behaviour as a function of D. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Long-lived nuclear spin states in the solution NMR of four-spin systems

The existence of long-lived nuclear spin states in four-spin systems is explored by solution-state NMR experiments. Long-lived states are proved to exist in three different natural product molecules, each containing either a AA'BB' or a AA'XX' proton spin system. The measured state lifetimes are between four and eight times the spin-lattice relaxation time constants.     

Electronic states of the icosahedral quasiperiodic systems in magnetic fields

The electronic properties of the icosahedral quasiperiodic system in a tile-dependent or uniform magnetic field is studied by quasi-Bloch scheme and the general solutions are obtained for the electronic states. The behavior of the three-dimensional (3D) non-interacting electrons in an icosahedral quasiperiodic system may be treated as the projection of that of the non-interacting pseudo-electrons in 6D. In the presence of the tile-dependent magnetic field, the non-interacting electrons are quasi-Bloch electrons, while they are partial quasi-Bloch electrons when the magnetic field is uniform.     

Transport studies of localized and extended states of a two-dimensional electron gas in low magnetic fields

We have observed the quantum Hall effect in a high mobility two-dimensional electron gas to filling factors up to 80 at 0.3 K. This demonstrates the presence of both localized and extended states at low field, and explains the failure of the standard semi-classical analysis of Shubnikov–de Haas (SdH) oscillations in this regime. We go on to derive a general expression for the conductivity due to rectangular bands of extended states, and show that the observed temperature dependence of the SdH oscillations is consistent with this picture. An analysis of the oscillations using this expression reveals the predicted levitation of the extended states as the magnetic field is reduced.     

The effect of spin relaxation on ENDOR spectra recorded at high magnetic fields and low temperatures

A simple theoretical model that describes the pulsed Davies electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) experiment for an electron spin S = (1/2) coupled to a nuclear spin I = (1/2) was developed to account for unusual W-band (95 GHz) ENDOR effects observed at low temperatures. This model takes into account the thermal polarization along with all internal relaxation processes in a four-level system represented by the electron- and nuclear-spin relaxation times T(1e) and T(1n), respectively, and the cross-relaxation time, T(1x). It is shown that under conditions of sufficiently high thermal spin polarization, nuclei can exhibit asymmetric ENDOR spectra in two cases: the first when t(mix) > T(1e) and T(1n), T(1x) > T(1e), where ENDOR signals from the alpha manifold are negative and those of the beta manifold positive, and the second when the cross- and/or nuclear-relaxation times are longer than the repetition time (t(mix) < T(1e) < t(R) and T(1n), T(1x) > t(R)). In that case the polarization of the ENDOR signals becomes opposite to the previous case, the lines in the alpha manifolds are positive, and those of the beta manifold are negative. This case is more likely to be encountered experimentally because it does not require a very long mixing time and is a consequence of the saturation of the nuclear transitions. Using this model the experimental t(mix) and t(R) dependencies of the W-band (1)H ENDOR amplitudes of [Cu(imidazole)(4)]Cl(2) were reproduced and the values of T(1e) and T(1x) > T(1e) were determined. The presence of asymmetry in the ENDOR spectrum is useful as it directly provides the sign of the hyperfine coupling. The presented model allows the experimentalist to adjust experimental parameters, such as t(mix) and t(R), in order to optimize the desired appearance of the spectrum.     

Interacting spin pairs in rotational magnetic fields and geometric phase

In virtue of the quantum invariant theory, we obtain the rigorous solution of the isotropic bipartite system in rotational magnetic fields, based on which the general expression of the noncyclic geometric phase is worked out and the entanglement dependence of the noncyclic geometric phase in this model is investigated. We show that the influence of the coupling on noncyclic geometric phase depends on the initial condition of the system. We also show that when the magnetic fields are stationary, there is a more general class of states existed of which the noncyclic geometric phase could be interpreted solely in terms of the solid angle enclosed by the geodesically closed curve on a two-sphere parameterized by the evolving Schmidt coefficients.