Spin beats and magnetic dynamics in II-VI quantum structures

J. J. Baumberg, S. A. Crooker, D. D. Awschalom, N. Samarth

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

Abstract

We use a novel optical probe of magnetization to explore the evolution of carrier spin scattering and magnetic dynamics in quantum-confined geometries. II-VI magnetic heterostructures are studied using femtosecond Faraday rotation and exhibit both carrier phase- (approx. 1 ps) and spin-scattering (approx. 6 ps) in concert with a field-tunable terahertz quantum-beating of the total carrier spin. Spin-flip processes experienced by photoexcited carriers as they tunnel through nanometer-thick magnetic barriers produce a magnetic perturbation strongly sensitive to the initial magnetic state and the spin-orientation of the pumped carriers. Once these carriers have recombined (approx. 70 ps), the magnetic ions relax through completely different channels of significantly slower decay rate (100 ps - 10 ns). The relaxation characteristics are found to be substantially influenced by exchange coupling between adjacent magnetic ions at low temperatures (T < 13 K). These low-dimensional magnetic systems yield a rich array of spin phenomena untapped in traditional semiconductor heterostructures.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)429-434
Number of pages6
JournalMaterials Science Forum
Volume182-184
DOIs
StatePublished - 1995
EventProceedings of the 4th International Workshop on Semimagnetic (Diluted Magnetic) Semiconductors - Linz, Austria
Duration: Sep 26 1994Sep 28 1994

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Mechanical Engineering

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