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Journal of Physics D Applied Physics

Generation of spin polarized currents with coherent trapping in magnetic semiconductors

Pedro Henrique Pereira, Anibal Thiago Bezerra, Paulo F. Farinas, M. Z. Maialle, Marcos H. Degani, Nélson Studart

Published Jan 19, 2017• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract A semiconductor heterostructure consisting of two quantum wells, one of them magnetically doped, is proposed for the generation of spin currents by two lasers tuned at the resonances formed between two lowest energy states (1 and 2) and the continuum (3), which are set by design to be in a Λ like configuration. By numerically simulating the proposed structure under the action of the laser fields, we are able to observe the formation of a quasi-dark state near the resonance. The structure’s design has been idealized as to place state 2 in the magnetically doped quantum-well, where a constant magnetic field breaks the electronic spin degeneracy, leading to the giant Zeeman splitting. This ensures that only one of the electronic spins is driven into a dark resonance, thus blocking it from escaping the system. The other spin is free to escape, so that a spin polarized photocurrent is generated. The polarization can be switched by changing the frequency of the controlling laser. Since this kind of trapping is based on quantum interference, the switching times are expected to be fast. In our simulation, we do not simplify the structure down to level modeling, rather we simulate the full structure under time dependent oscillating laser fields and then identify the signatures that indicate a three-level like behavior. We based our search for the structure on real doping parameters found in real materials used in the literature, however the idea relies on the potential profiles studied, and the presence of the giant splitting, regardless of the underlying material that may be used.

DOI
10.1088/1361-6463/aa5a85

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24 In recent years interest has been growing into the fascinating properties of dark resonances. Most of the experiments have been carried out in alkali atoms due to their favourable level structure and the commercially available diode lasers, resulting in numerous applications. Teams from Siena and Sofia developed an all-optical magnetometer based on such dark resonances. The dark-state effect was discovered in 1976 by G. Alzetta, A. Gozzini, L. Moi and G. Orriols [1], while they were working on optical-pumping experiments with a multimode dye laser. They wanted to make the observation of multi-photon radio-frequency resonances in sodium atoms easy, i.e., observable by the naked eye. To this end, they introduced a magnetic field (MF) that was constant in time but spatially inhomogeneous along the laser beam, so as to produce Zeeman splitting of groundstate hyperfine levels (Fig.1a, left). In this way, an applied radio-frequency field was resonant only if it matched the Zeeman splitting. As a result, a bright radio-frequency resonance appeared (Fig.1a, right). During these experiments, besides the bright resonances, a new “dark” resonance was observed, which does not require any radio-frequency field. In the introductory illustration only the dark resonance is shown. The new dark state (DS) effect appears in a position along the laser beam where the frequency difference (ω10-ω20) between two optical frequencies is equal to the frequency splitting ω12 between two Zeeman sublevels (Fig.1b, left). This is the resonant condition for the stimulated Raman transitions between the two longliving ground levels. Theoretical studies described the dark resonance as a coherent superposition of two long-living ground levels prepared by the bi-chromatic laser field, and ‘atomic population trapping’ was introduced, leading to the term Coherent Population Trapping (CPT) [2]. l Luigi Moi1, Stefka Cartaleva2 DOI: 10.1051/epn/2012603

Europhysics news•Jul 1, 2012•8 citations
Abstract A semiconductor heterostructure consisting of two quantum wells, one of them magnetically doped, is proposed for the generation of spin currents by two lasers tuned at the resonances formed between two lowest energy states (1 and 2) and the continuum (3), which are set by design to be in a Λ like configuration. By numerically simulating the proposed structure under the action of the laser fields, we are able to observe the formation of a quasi-dark state near the resonance. The structure’s design has been idealized as to place state 2 in the magnetically doped quantum-well, where a constant magnetic field breaks the electronic spin degeneracy, leading to the giant Zeeman splitting. This ensures that only one of the electronic spins is driven into a dark resonance, thus blocking it from escaping the system. The other spin is free to escape, so that a spin polarized photocurrent is generated. The polarization can be switched by changing the frequency of the controlling laser. Since this kind of trapping is based on quantum interference, the switching times are expected to be fast. In our simulation, we do not simplify the structure down to level modeling, rather we simulate the full structure under time dependent oscillating laser fields and then identify the signatures that indicate a three-level like behavior. We based our search for the structure on real doping parameters found in real materials used in the literature, however the idea relies on the potential profiles studied, and the presence of the giant splitting, regardless of the underlying material that may be used.
Systematic investigation of the spin dephasing times in GaAs/(Al,Ga)As quantum wells and its depending on parameters like temperature, magnetic fields and doping will be shown in Chapter 3.In Chapter 4 are presented results of investigation of the nuclear spin systems in quantum well heterostructures.The chapter 5 presents the results of studying the carrier spin dynamics in a n-doped (In,Ga)As/GaAs quantum wells by time-resolved Faraday rotation and ellipticity techniques in the temperature range down to 430 mil-liKelvin.In Chapter 6 is devoted to experimental and theoretically studying of optical control of the spin coherence of quantum well electrons by short laser pulses with circular or linear polarization.For that purpose the coherent electron spin dynamics in a n-doped CdTe/(Cd,Mg)Te quantum well structure was measured by time-resolved pump-probe Kerr rotation, using resonant excitation of the negatively charged exciton (trion) state.on the eigenstates |s z ; ↑ and |s z ; ↓ yields the states themselves independent of time.Along the field axis (longitudinal direction) these quantum-mechanical spin states are thus stationary.Any loss of coherence is induced by coupling of those states with the environment.Applying the time-evolution operator on the spin states perpendicular
In high-purity n-type GaAs under a strong magnetic field, we are able to isolate a lambda system composed of two Zeeman states of neutral-donor-bound electrons and the lowest Zeeman state of bound excitons. When the two-photon detuning of this system is zero, we observe a pronounced dip in the excited-state photoluminescence, indicating the creation of the coherent population-trapped state. Our data are consistent with a steady-state three-level density-matrix model. The observation of coherent population trapping in GaAs indicates that this and similar semiconductor systems could be used for various electromagnetically induced transparency type experiments.
Optical control of the spin coherence of quantum well electrons by short laser pulses with circular or linear polarization is studied experimentally and theoretically. For that purpose the coherent electron spin dynamics in a nnn-doped CdTe/(Cd,Mg)Te quantum well structure was measured by time-resolved pump-probe Kerr rotation, using resonant excitation of the negatively charged exciton (trion) state. The amplitude and phase shifts of the electron spin beat signal in an external magnetic field, that are induced by laser control pulses, depend on the pump-control delay and polarization of the control relative to the pump pulse. Additive and nonadditive contributions to pump-induced signal due to the control are isolated experimentally. These contributions can be well described in the framework of a two-level model for the optical excitation of the resident electron to the trion.
Summary form only given. In a three-level system, two resonant optical fields can excite spin coherence on the ground states via two-photon resonance. One of the two-superposition states created by the atom-field interactions is decoupled from the excited state. Thus, the population can be trapped in that state showing non-absorption resonance. The essential feature of this decoupled state is dark resonance. Therefore, the existence of the dark resonance is a basis of non-absorption resonance, coherent population trapping, and electromagnetically induced transparency. In a four-level system, however, the two-laser induced spin coherence can be broken when a third laser is applied. At the same time, new coherence between the third laser and one of the pre-existed lasers is created. This phenomenon is useful for optical switching owing to annihilation and creation of the dark resonance in the four-level system. It is noted that the switching time depends on the dark resonance build-up time, which is inversely proportional to the applied Rabi frequency. Numerical simulations are shown for potentially ultrahigh-speed optical switches. Each diffracted four-wave mixing signal is proportional to the spin coherence strength. For a preliminary experiment, a spectral hole-burning crystal is used. The intensity of the diffracted signals is reversed at line center. This coherence switching effect is based on the dark resonance interactions.
Laser-atom interactions create atomic coherence and large nonlinear atomic polarization.\nWe investigate resonant laser-atom interactions to generate large nonlinearities\nand control them using magneto-optical fields. Coherent control of high-order\nsusceptibilities and magneto-optical rotation are demonstrated. Experiments are supported\nby theoretical studies that effectively describe the observed phenomena.\nIt is shown that a new coherent field, with polarization orthogonal to a weak\nsignal field, can be parametrically generated via an all-resonant four-wave-mixing\nprocess. This is demonstrated in a double-ladder system having two intermediate\nstates between a ground and an excited state. It is shown that the parametricgeneration\nprocess can be coherently controlled by coupling lasers and magnetic fields.\nIt is theoretically established that the underlying physics is a resonant three-photon\nprocess with a wide domain of control parameters.\nElectromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), where absorption of a weak\nprobe is suppressed via quantum interference, is demonstrated in a usual three-level\nladder system. It is observed that in contrast with EIT in a usual ladder system,\naddition of a second channel helps to suppress the absorption of two weak probe\nfields in the double-ladder system. The resulting enhancement of transmission in two\ndifferent channels is due to gain caused by three-photon processes.\nCoherent control is strongly limited by coherence lifetime, which is the inverse of\nthe dephasing rate. A lambda-system, having two ground states coupled to a common\nexcited state by lasers, can generate a new eigen (dark)-state that is transparent to incoming fields and hence suppresses fluorescence. However, ground-state dephasing\nperturbs the dark state. A new method for measuring the ground-state dephasing\nrate from fluorescence signals is proposed and a proof-of-principle experiment demonstrated.\nWhile two laser fields in a lambda-system are resonant with their respective\ntransitions, the atomic polarizations are very sensitive to an applied magnetic field.\nThis effect can be used for optical magnetometry. The degree of sensitivity of the\nmagnetometer is determined by two competing parameters–atomic density and laser\nintensity. It is shown experimentally that the optimal sensitivity reaches saturation,\nwhich is contrary to the idea that sensitivity increases indefinitely with an increase\nin the above parameters.
24 In recent years interest has been growing into the fascinating properties of dark resonances. Most of the experiments have been carried out in alkali atoms due to their favourable level structure and the commercially available diode lasers, resulting in numerous applications. Teams from Siena and Sofia developed an all-optical magnetometer based on such dark resonances. The dark-state effect was discovered in 1976 by G. Alzetta, A. Gozzini, L. Moi and G. Orriols [1], while they were working on optical-pumping experiments with a multimode dye laser. They wanted to make the observation of multi-photon radio-frequency resonances in sodium atoms easy, i.e., observable by the naked eye. To this end, they introduced a magnetic field (MF) that was constant in time but spatially inhomogeneous along the laser beam, so as to produce Zeeman splitting of groundstate hyperfine levels (Fig.1a, left). In this way, an applied radio-frequency field was resonant only if it matched the Zeeman splitting. As a result, a bright radio-frequency resonance appeared (Fig.1a, right). During these experiments, besides the bright resonances, a new “dark” resonance was observed, which does not require any radio-frequency field. In the introductory illustration only the dark resonance is shown. The new dark state (DS) effect appears in a position along the laser beam where the frequency difference (ω10-ω20) between two optical frequencies is equal to the frequency splitting ω12 between two Zeeman sublevels (Fig.1b, left). This is the resonant condition for the stimulated Raman transitions between the two longliving ground levels. Theoretical studies described the dark resonance as a coherent superposition of two long-living ground levels prepared by the bi-chromatic laser field, and ‘atomic population trapping’ was introduced, leading to the term Coherent Population Trapping (CPT) [2]. l Luigi Moi1, Stefka Cartaleva2 DOI: 10.1051/epn/2012603