Stacy Mui

Optically pumped nuclear magnetic resonance of semiconductors

Optically pumped NMR (OPNMR) of direct gap and indirect gap semiconductors has been an area of active research interest, motivated by both basic science and technological perspectives. Proposals to enhance and to spatially localize nuclear polarization have stimulated interest in this area. Recent progress in OPNMR has focused on exploring the experimental parameter space in order to elucidate details of the underlying photophysics of optical pumping phenomena. The focus of this review is on recent studies of bulk samples of GaAs and InP, namely, the photon energy dependence, the magnetic field dependence, and the phase dependence of OPNMR resonances. Models for the development of nuclear polarization are discussed.

Physical insights from a penetration depth model of optically pumped NMR

A model of optically pumped NMR (OPNMR) behavior in GaAs that connects the photon energy dependence of the OPNMR signal intensity for (69)Ga with different polarizations of light has been developed. Inputs to this model include experimental conditions--external magnetic field (B(0)), temperature (T), and optical pumping parameters (tau(L), laser helicity)--as well as parameters that arise from sample-specific characteristics--electron spin lifetime (T(1e)), electron lifetime (tau(e)), electron-nuclear correlation time (tau(c)), and sample thickness (z). These various inputs affect the profile of the OPNMR signal intensity as a function of photon energy (E) in a predictable manner. Therefore, the profile can serve as a composite fingerprint by which individual parameters can be inferred when not known. Characteristics of the profile include the photon energy for maximum OPNMR signal intensity and the intensity ratio between sigma(+) and sigma(-) light.