F. G. G. Hernandez

Macroscopic transverse drift of long current-induced spin coherence in two-dimensional electron gases

We imaged the transport of a current-induced spin coherence in a two-dimensional electron gas confined in a triple quantum well. Nonlocal Kerr rotation measurements, based on the optical resonant amplification of the electrically-induced polarization, revealed a large spatial variation of the electron g-factor and the efficient generation of a current-controlled spin-orbit field in a macroscopic Hall bar device. We observed coherence times in the nanoseconds range transported beyond half-millimeter distances in a direction transverse to the applied electric field. The measured long spin transport length can be explained by two material properties: large mean free path for charge diffusion in clean systems, and enhanced spin-orbit coefficients in the triple well.

Large anisotropic spin relaxation time of exciton bound to donor states in triple quantum wells

We have studied the spin dynamics of a dense two-dimensional electron gas confined in a GaAs/AlGaAs triple quantum well by using time-resolved Kerr rotation and resonant spin amplification. Strong anisotropy of the spin relaxation time up to a factor of 10 was found between the electron spins oriented in-plane and out-of-plane when the excitation energy is tuned to an exciton bound to neutral donor transition. We model this anisotropy using an internal magnetic field and the inhomogeneity of the electron g-factor. The data analysis allows us to determine the direction and magnitude of this internal field in the range of a few mT for our studied structure, which decreases with the sample temperature and optical power. The dependence of the anisotropic spin relaxation was directly measured as a function of several experimental parameters: excitation wavelength, sample temperature, pump-probe time delay, and pump power.

Long-lived nanosecond spin coherence in high-mobility 2DEGs confined in double and triple quantum wells

We investigated the spin coherence of high-mobility two-dimensional electron gases confined in multilayer GaAs quantum wells. The dynamics of the spin polarization was optically studied using pump-probe techniques: time-resolved Kerr rotation and resonant spin amplification. For double and triple quantum wells doped beyond the metal-to-insulator transition, the spin-orbit interaction was tailored by the sample parameters of structural symmetry (Rashba constant), width, and electron density (Dresselhaus linear and cubic constants) which allow us to attain long dephasing times in the nanoseconds range. The determination of the scales, namely, transport scattering time, single-electron scattering time, electron-electron scattering time, and spin polarization decay time further supports the possibility of using n-doped multilayer systems for developing spintronic devices.

Spin drift and diffusion in one-and two-subband helical systems

The theory of spin drift and diffusion in two-dimensional electron gases is developed in terms of a random walk model incorporating Rashba, linear and cubic Dresselhaus, and intersubband spin-orbit couplings. The additional subband degree of freedom introduces new characteristics to the persistent spin helix (PSH) dynamics. As has been described before, for negligible intersubband scattering rates, the sum of the magnetization of independent subbands leads to a checkerboard pattern of crossed PSHs with long spin lifetime. For strong intersubband scattering we model the fast subband dynamics as a new random variable, yielding a dynamics set by averaged spin-orbit couplings of both subbands. In this case the crossed PSH becomes isotropic, rendering circular (Bessel) patterns with short spin lifetime. Additionally, a finite drift velocity breaks the symmetry between parallel and transverse directions, distorting and dragging the patterns. We find that the maximum spin lifetime shifts away from the PSH regime with increasing drift velocity. We present approximate analytical solutions for these cases and define their domain of validity. Effects of magnetic fields and initial package broadening are also discussed.

Resonant optical control of the electrically induced spin polarization by periodic excitation

We show that the electron spin polarization generated by an electrical current may have its direction controlled and magnitude amplified by periodic optical excitation. The electrical and optical spin control methods were combinedandimplementedinatwo-dimensionalelectrongas.ByKerrrotationinanexternaltransversemagnetic field, we demonstrate unexpected long-lived coherent spin oscillations of the current-induced signal in a system with large spin-orbit interaction. Using a single linearly polarized pulse for spin manipulation and detection, we found a strong dependence on the pulse optical power and sample temperature indicating the relevance of the hole spin in the electron spin initialization. The signal was mapped in a Hall bar as function of the position relative to the injection contact. Finally, the presence of an in-plane spin polarization was directly verified by rotating the experimental geometry.

Macroscopic transport of a current-induced spin polarization

Experimental studies of spin transport in a two-dimensional electron gas hosted by a triple GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well are reported. Using time-resolved Kerr rotation, we observed the precession of the spin polarization about a current-controlled spin-orbit magnetic field. Spatially-resolved imaging showed a large variation of the electron g-factor and the drift transport of coherent electron spins over distances exceeding half-millimetre in a direction transverse to the electric field.

Gate control of the spin mobility through the modification of the spin-orbit interaction in two-dimensional systems

Spin drag measurements were performed in a two-dimensional electron system set close to the crossed spin helix regime and coupled by strong intersubband scattering. In a sample with uncommon combination of long spin lifetime and high charge mobility, the drift transport allows us to determine the spin-orbit field and the spin mobility anisotropies. We used a random walk model to describe the system dynamics and found excellent agreement for the Rashba and Dresselhaus couplings. The proposed two-subband system displays a large tuning lever arm for the Rashba constant with gate voltage, which provides a new path towards a spin transistor. Furthermore, the data shows large spin mobility controlled by the spin-orbit constants setting the field along the direction perpendicular to the drift velocity. This work directly reveals the resistance experienced in the transport of a spin-polarized packet as a function of the strength of anisotropic spin-orbit fields.

Tuning of the Landé g-factor in AlxGa1−xAs/AlAs single and double quantum wells

We report on the spin dynamics of a high mobility two-dimensional electron gas in a AlxGa1−xAs/AlAs double quantum well structure. For high electron density samples, the g-factor was measured using time-resolved Kerr rotation technique. The g-factor tuning capability was observed by changing the aluminum content x independently in each well. Experiments demonstrated an unusual spin dephasing time robustness for high excitation power. The effect of the interaction between wells was analyzed in samples with different tunneling barriers. Results were compared with experiments on single well systems demonstrating higher spin polarization generation, longer spin dephasing time, and coupling for the double structures.

Robustness of spin polarization against temperature in multilayer structure: Triple quantum well

We address the temperature influence on the precessional motion of electron spins under a transverse magnetic field, studied in GaAs/AlGaAs triple quantum wells, using pump-probe Kerr rotation. In the presence of an applied in-plane magnetic field, the TRKR measurements show the robustness of carriers spin polarization against temperature, which can be easily traced in an extended range up to 250 K. By tuning the pump-probe wavelength to the exciton bound to a neutral donor transition, we observed a remarkably long-lasting spin coherence (with dephasing time T 2 * > 14 ns) limited by the spin hopping process and exchange interaction between the donor sites, as well as the ensemble spread of the g-factor. The temperature dependent spin dephasing time revealed a double linear dependence due to the different relaxation mechanisms active in respective temperature ranges. We observed that the increase in sample temperature from 5 K to 250 K leads to a strong T 2 * reduction by almost 98%/97% for the excitation wavelengths of 823/821 nm. Furthermore, we noticed that the temperature increase not only causes the reduction of spin lifetime, but can also lead to the variation of the electron g-factor. Additionally, the spin dynamics were studied through the dependencies on the applied magnetic field and optical pump power.We address the temperature influence on the precessional motion of electron spins under a transverse magnetic field, studied in GaAs/AlGaAs triple quantum wells, using pump-probe Kerr rotation. In the presence of an applied in-plane magnetic field, the TRKR measurements show the robustness of carriers spin polarization against temperature, which can be easily traced in an extended range up to 250 K. By tuning the pump-probe wavelength to the exciton bound to a neutral donor transition, we observed a remarkably long-lasting spin coherence (with dephasing time T 2 * > 14 ns) limited by the spin hopping process and exchange interaction between the donor sites, as well as the ensemble spread of the g-factor. The temperature dependent spin dephasing time revealed a double linear dependence due to the different relaxation mechanisms active in respective temperature ranges. We observed that the increase in sample temperature from 5 K to 250 K leads to a strong T 2 * reduction by almost 98%/97% for the e...