Linear optics, Raman scattering, and spin noise spectroscopy

Spin noise spectroscopy (SNS) is a new method for studying magnetic resonance and spin dynamics based on measuring the Faraday rotation noise. In strong contrast with methods of nonlinear optics, the spectroscopy of spin noise is considered to be essentially nonperturbative. Presently, however, it became clear that the SNS, as an optical technique, demonstrates properties lying far beyond the bounds of conventional linear optics. Specifically, the SNS shows dependence of the signal on the light power density, makes it possible to penetrate inside an inhomogeneously broadened absorption band and to determine its homogeneous width, allows one to realize an effective pump-probe spectroscopy without any optical nonlinearity, etc. This may seem especially puzzling when taken into account that SNS can be considered just as a version of Raman spectroscopy, which is known to be deprived of such abilities. In this paper, we clarify this apparent inconsistency.Comment: 7+ pages, 3 figure

Cavity polaritons: Classical behaviour of a quantum parametric oscillator

We address theoretically the optical parametric oscillator based on semiconductor cavity exciton-polaritons under a pulsed excitation. A "hyperspin" formalism is developed which allows, in the case of large number of polaritons, to reduce quantum dynamics of the parametric oscillator wavefunction to the Liouville equation for the classical probability distribution. Implications for the statistics of polariton ensembles are analyzed.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Spin-dependent coherent transport of two-dimensional excitons

We propose a theory of interference contributions to the two-dimensional exciton diffusion coefficient. The theory takes into account four spin states of the heavy-hole exciton. An interplay of the single particle, electron and hole, spin splittings with the electron-hole exchange interaction gives rise to either localization or antilocalization behavior of excitons depending on the system parameters. Possible experimental manifestations of exciton interference are discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure

Spin waves in semiconductor microcavities

We show theoretically that a weakly interacting gas of spin-polarized exciton-polaritons in a semiconductor microcavity supports propagation of spin waves. The spin waves are characterised by a parabolic dispersion at small wavevectors which is governed by the polariton-polariton interaction constant. Due to spin-anisotropy of polariton-polariton interactions the dispersion of spin waves depends on the orientation of the total polariton spin. For the same reason, the frequency of homogeneous spin precession/polariton spin resonance depends on their polarization degree.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures + Supplement with 2 figure

Theory of bound-electron g factor in highly charged ions

The paper presents the current status of the theory of bound-electron g factor in highly charged ions. The calculations of the relativistic, QED, nuclear recoil, nuclear structure, and interelectronic-interaction corrections to the g factor are reviewed. Special attention is paid to tests of QED effects at strong coupling regime and determinations of the fundamental constants.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figure

Spin-orbit splitting of valence subbands in semiconductor nanostructures

We propose the 14-band $\mathbf k \cdot \mathbf p$ model to calculate spin-orbit splittings of the valence subbands in semiconductor quantum wells. The reduced symmetry of quantum well interfaces is incorporated by means of additional terms in the boundary conditions which mix the $\Gamma_{15}$ conduction and valence Bloch functions at the interfaces. It is demonstrated that the interface-induced effect makes the dominating contribution to the heavy-hole spin splitting. A simple analytical expression for the interface contribution is derived. In contrast to the 4$\times$4 effective Hamiltonian model, where the problem of treating the $V_z k_z^3$ term seems to be unsolvable, the 14-band model naturally avoids and overcomes this problem. Our results are in agreement with the recent atomistic calculations [J.-W. Luo et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 104}, 066405 (2010)].Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, 4 table

Spin dynamics of hopping electrons in quantum wires: algebraic decay and noise

We study theoretically spin decoherence and intrinsic spin noise in semiconductor quantum wires caused by an interplay of electron hopping between the localized states and the hyperfine interaction of electron and nuclear spins. At a sufficiently low density of localization sites the hopping rates have an exponentially broad distribution. It allows the description of the spin dynamics in terms of closely-situated "pairs" of sites and single "reaching" states, from which the series of hops result in the electron localized inside a "pair". The developed analytical model and numerical simulations demonstrate disorder-dependent algebraic tails in the spin decay and power-law singularity-like features in the low-frequency part of the spin noise spectrum.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures + supplementary materia

Many body study of gg-factor in boron-like argon

Highly accurate measurements of the $g$-factor of boronlike Ar are currently implemented within the ARTEMIS experiment at GSI (Darmstadt, Germany) and within the ALPHATRAP experiment at the MPIK (Heidelberg, Germany). A comparison with the corresponding theoretical predictions will allow one to test the modern methods of bound-state QED. However, at least three different theoretical values of the \emph{g}-factor have been published up to date. The systematic study of the \emph{g} factor value of Ar$^{13+}$ in the ground $[(1s)^2(2s)^2 2p]^2P_{1/2}$ and the first excited $[(1s)^2(2s)^2 2p]^2P_{3/2}$ states is performed within the high order coupled cluster and configuration interaction theories up to the full configuration interaction treatment. Correlation contributions are discussed and results are compared with previous studies.Comment: 7 pages, no figure

Nuclear recoil effect on gg factor of heavy ions: prospects for tests of quantum electrodynamics in a new region

The nuclear recoil effect on the $g$ factor of H- and Li-like heavy ions is evaluated to all orders in $\alpha Z$. The calculations include an approximate treatment of the nuclear size and the electron-electron interaction corrections to the recoil effect. As the result, the second largest contribution to the theoretical uncertainty of the $g$-factor values of $^{208}$Pb$^{79+}$ and $^{238}$U$^{89+}$ is strongly reduced. Special attention is paid to tests of the QED recoil effect on the $g$ factor in experiments with heavy ions. It is found that, while the QED recoil effect on the $g$-factor value is masked by the uncertainties of the nuclear size and nuclear polarization contributions, it can be probed on a few-percent level in the specific difference of the $g$ factors of H- and Li-like heavy ions. This provides a unique opportunity to test QED in a new region --- strong-coupling regime beyond the Furry picture.Comment: 12 pages, 3 table

Nuclear recoil effect on the g factor of middle-Z boronlike ions

The nuclear recoil correction to the g factor of boronlike ions is evaluated within the lowest-order relativistic (Breit) approximation. The interelectronic-interaction effects are taken into account to the first order of the perturbation theory in 1/Z. Higher orders in 1/Z are partly accounted for by means of the effective screening potential. The most accurate up-to-date values of this contribution are presented for the ions in the range Z=10-20.Comment: 12 page