Spin Effects in Lateral Quantum Dots

We present the review of our work on spin effects in single lateral quantum dots with the emphasis on the results of Coulomb blockade spectroscopy studies. Realization of a spin-based quantum bit proposal in a lateral quantum dot is discussed. Described are the ways of isolating a single electron spin in a dot containing only one as well as many electrons. Demonstrated is a current readout of spin transitions in a dot by means of spin blockade spectroscopy due to spin polarized injection/detection mechanism in a lateral dot. Discussed are transitions induced both by changing a magnetic field and a number of electrons in a dot with the emphasis on the effects observed close to filling factor in a dot = 2.     

Probing Single-Electron Spin Decoherence in Quantum Dots using Charged Excitons

We propose to use optical detection of magnetic resonance (ODMR) to measure the decoherence time T₂ of a single-electron spin in a semiconductor quantum dot. The electron is in one of the spin 1/2 states and a circularly polarized laser can only create an optical excitation for one of the electron spin states due to Pauli blocking. An applied electron spin resonance (ESR) field leads to Rabi spin flips and thus to a modulation of the photoluminescence or, alternatively, of the photocurrent. This allows one to measure the ESR linewidth and the coherent Rabi oscillations, from which the electron spin decoherence can be determined. We study different possible schemes for such an ODMR setup, including cw or pulsed laser excitation. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Zero-Magnetic-Field Spin Splitting of Conduction Subbands in InGaAs/InAlAs and GaAs/AlGaAs Quantum Wells

Zero-magnetic-field spin splitting in InGaAs/GaAs and GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells was investigated theoretically. The sp³s* empirical tight-binding method has been employed. It has been found that the splitting is much larger in InGaAs wells than that in GaAs wells. The origin of the splitting due to the structure inversion asymmetry was briefly discussed.     

Spin–Lattice Relaxation of Mn Ions in Nanostructures with Semiconductor Quantum Dots

We use the combination of nonequilibrium phonon and exciton luminescence techniques to study the spin dynamics in diluted magnetic semiconductor structures with (Cd,Mn)Te and (Cd,Mn)Se quantum dots (QDs). We show that the spin–lattice relaxation (SLR) of Mn ions in these structures differs strongly from the SLR in quantum wells. We explain the results by a model where SLR process in structures with QDs is modified by the spin diffusion on Mn ions from the QD to a wetting layer.     

Spin Injection Processes in ZnSe-Based Double Quantum Dots of Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors

Spin injection processes in the double quantum dots of ZnSe-based diluted magnetic semiconductors are discussed. Double quantum dots are fabricated from ZnSe-based double quantum wells by electron beam lithography and wet etching. In these samples, the photo-excited carriers in the magnetic dots are injected into the non-magnetic dots. The circular polarization degrees of photoluminescence from the non-magnetic dots are measured by micro-photoluminescence measurement system under the magnetic field up to 5 T. The maximum spin polarization degrees of injected carriers determined from our experiment are 10% for double quantum wells and 15% for double quantum dots. The spin injection efficiency was estimated both from the observed circular polarization degree and the diffusion length of carriers. We concluded that the spin injection efficiency is increased in the double quantum dots.     

Spin Dynamics in CdSe/ZnSe Quantum Dots: Resonant Versus Nonresonant Excitation

We have studied the exciton spin dynamics in CdSe/ZnSe quantum dots, comparing strictly resonant and nonresonant excitation. In case of strictly resonant excitation, excitons are generated in the quantum dot ground state, and because of the zero-dimensionality of the system no transient shift of the photoluminescence signal can be seen. No loss of the spin information is observed within the time window under investigation, if one excites the quantum dot eigenstates. Interestingly, even in case of nonresonant excitation, a high, time-independent polarization degree is obtained. We found maxima in the absolute value of the polarization degree if the laser excess energy amounts to a multiple of LO-phonon energies.     

Charging and Spin Effects in Triple Dot Artificial Molecules

We have fabricated artificial molecules consisting of three coupled quantum dots defined in the two-dimensional electron gas of a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure using lithographically patterned gates and trenches. The three dots are arranged in a ring structure, where each dot is coupled to the other two dots. We find that, when tuned to the Coulomb blockade regime, the triple quantum dot device acts as a charge rectifier: an electron enters the third dot where it is trapped, producing a jamming effect where no other electron may enter the first dot. Triple quantum dots coupled in a ring will allow for the study of new molecular phases using artificial molecules and may also serve as building blocks of two-dimensional arrays for quantum computation.     

Nonequilibrium Spin Fluctuations in Nonmagnetic Single-Electron Transistors and Quantum Dots

It is shown that nonequilibrium spin fluctuations significantly influence electronic transport in a single-electron transistor, when the spin relaxation on the island is slow. To describe spin fluctuations, the orthodox tunneling theory is generalized by taking into account the electron spin. It is shown that the transition between consecutive charge states can occur via high-spin states, which significantly modifies the shape of Coulomb steps and gives rise to additional resonances at low temperatures.     

Effects of Magnetic Quantum Dots on Magnetoconductance in Quantum Wires

We present a theoretical study of electronic transport in quantum wires (narrow two-dimensional electron gas) with array of magnetic quantum dots. Each magnetic quantum dot is defined by a small circular region where the strength of perpendicular magnetic field is modulated. By making use of a newly developed calculation method based on the gauge transformations, we calculated the conductance as a function of the external perpendicular magnetic field. Our numerical calculations show that the magnetoconductance is very sensitive to the number of magnetic quantum dots in the field region where the direction of the net magnetic field in dot regions is antiparallel to the external magnetic field.     

Spin Relaxation in a Two-Dimensional Electron Gas in Si Quantum Wells

Electron spin resonance of two-dimensional (2D) electron gas in Si/SiGe quantum wells allows to evaluate both the longitudinal and the dephasing spin relaxation time. Diakonov–Perel (DP) relaxation, caused by Bychkov–Rashba (BR) spin orbit coupling, occurs to be the dominant mechanism in high mobility samples. For low mobility the Elliott–Yaffet mechanism dominates the longitudinal spin relaxation. When the BR effect is small, inhomogeneous broadening caused by potential fluctuations is seen. We compare spin relaxation of the 2D electron gas in Si and in GaAs quantum wells with respect to applications of these materials in spintronics.     

Spin–Orbit Interaction and All-Semiconductor Spintronics

The purpose of this paper is to give a brief review and trace the present-day perspectives to exploit the spin–orbit interaction in conventional nonmagnetic semiconductor nanostructures. We demonstrate theoretically that the structures can be used to design basic elements of highspeed spintronic devices. In particular we discuss spin filtering, spin-dependent confinement, and scattering in all-semiconductor nanostructures.     

Excitation and Amplification of Spin Waves by Spin–Orbit Torque

The emerging field of nanomagnonics utilizes high‐frequency waves of magnetization—spin waves—for the transmission and processing of information on the nanoscale. The advent of spin‐transfer torque has spurred significant advances in nanomagnonics, by enabling highly efficient local spin wave generation in magnonic nanodevices. Furthermore, the recent emergence of spin‐orbitronics, which utilizes spin–orbit interaction as the source of spin torque, has provided a unique ability to exert spin torque over spatially extended areas of magnonic structures, enabling enhanced spin wave transmission. Here, it is experimentally demonstrated that these advances can be efficiently combined. The same spin–orbit torque mechanism is utilized for the generation of propagating spin waves, and for the long‐range enhancement of their propagation, in a single integrated nanomagnonic device. The demonstrated system exhibits a controllable directional asymmetry of spin wave emission, which is highly beneficial for applications in nonreciprocal magnonic logic and neuromorphic computing.     

Anisotropic Spin Splitting and Spin Relaxation in AlGaAs/GaAs Quantum Structures

Spin relaxation due to the D'yakonov–Perel' mechanism is intimately related with the spin splitting of the electronic states. We calculate the spin relaxation rates from anisotropic spin splittings of electron subbands in n-(001)-AlGaAs/GaAs quantum structures obtained in a self-consistent multiband approach. The giant anisotropy of spin relaxation rates found for different spin components in the (001) plane can be ascribed to a mutual compensation of terms because of the asymmetry of the bulk crystal and the quantum well structure.     

Spin Filter Effect in a Parallel Double Quantum Dot

We present a theoretical study of the spectral and the spin-dependent transport properties of a few electron semiconductor parallel double quantum dot (DQD) in the presence of local induced Zeeman splittings at the quantum dots. Working in an extended Hubbard model and treating the coupled QD as a single coherent system, the linear response spin-dependent conductance is calculated at low temperatures. We analyze the conditions such that the device would operate as a bipolar spin filter by only varying the incident electron Fermi energy from non-magnetic leads.     

Driving Spin and Charge in Quantum Wells by Surface Acoustic Waves

Recent experiments have shown the potential of surface acoustic waves as a mean for transporting charge and spin in quantum wells. In particular, they have proven highly effective for the coherent transport of spin‐polarized wave packets, suggesting their potential in spintronics applications. Motivated by these experimental observations, the spin and charge dynamics in a quantum well under surface acoustic waves is theoretically studied. It is shown that the dynamics acquires a simple and transparent form in a reference frame co‐moving with the surface acoustic wave. The results, e.g., the calculated spin relaxation and precession lengths, are in excellent agreement with recent experimental observations.     

Rashba Spin–Orbit Interaction and Its Applications to Spin-Interference Effect and Spin-Filter Device

The Rashba spin–orbit interaction in InGaAs quantum wells (QW) is studied using the weak antilocalization analysis as a function of the structural inversion asymmetry (SIA). We have observed a clear cross-over from positive to negative magnetoresistance near zero-magnetic field by controlling the degree of the SIA in the QWs. This is a strong evidence of a zero-field spin splitting that is induced by the Rashba effect. The spin-interference effect in a gate-controlled mesoscopic Aharonov–Bohm ring structure is investigated in the presence of Rashba spin–orbit interaction. The oscillatory behavior appearing in ensemble averaged Fourier spectrum of h/2e oscillations as a function of gate voltage is possibly because of the Aharonov–Casher type interference. We propose a spin-filter device based on the Rashba effect using a nonmagnetic resonant tunneling diode structure. Detailed calculation using InAIAs/InGaAs heterostructures shows that the spin-filtering efficiency exceeds 99.9%.     

Intrinsic Spin Relaxation Processes in Metallic Magnetic Multilayers

Spin relaxation processes in metallic magnetic nanostructures are reviewed. First a brief review of the phenomenology of magnetic damping is presented using the Landau Lifshitz Gilbert (LLG) equations of motion. It is shown that the Gilbert damping in bulk metallic layers is caused by the spin orbit interaction and itinerant character of 3d and 4s-p electrons. Spin dynamics in magnetic nanostructures acquires an additional nonlocal damping. This means that a part of the magnetic damping is not given by the local Gilbert damping but arises from the proximity to other layers. Spin pumping and spin sink concepts will be introduced and used to describe the interface nonlocal Gilbert damping in magnetic multilayers. The modified LLG equation of motion in magnetic multilayers will be introduced and tested against the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) data around the accidental crossover of FMR fields. The spin pumping theory will be compared to the early theories introduced in the 1970s for the interpretation of transmission electron spin resonance (TESR) measurements across ferromagnet/normal metal sandwiches.     

Noise of Spin-Polarized Currents at a Beam Splitter with Local Spin–Orbit Interaction

An electronic beam splitter with a local Rashba spin–orbit coupling can serve as a detector for spin-polarized currents. The spin–orbit coupling plays the role of a tunable spin rotator and can be controlled via a gate electrode on top of the conductor. We use spin-resolved scattering theory to calculate the zero-temperature current fluctuations (shot noise) for such a four-terminal device and show that the shot noise is proportional to the spin polarization of the source. Moreover, we analyze the effect of spin–orbit-induced intersubband coupling, leading to an additional spin rotation.     

Hyperfine Interactions and Electron Spin-Dynamics in a Quantum Dot

We study the dynamics of a single electron spin in an isolated quantum dot induced by hyperfine interaction with nuclei. The decoherence is caused by the spatial variation of the electron wave function within the dot, leading to a nonuniform hyperfine coupling A. We evaluate the spin correlation function and find that the decay is not exponential but rather power (inverse logarithm) law-like. For polarized nuclei we find an exact solution and show that the precession amplitude and the decay behavior can be tuned by the magnetic field. The decay time is given by N/A, where N is the number of nuclei inside the dot, and the amplitude of precession decays to a finite value. We show that there is a striking difference between the decoherence time for a single dot and the dephasing time for an ensemble of dots.