168 research outputs found
Small band gap superlattices as intrinsic long wavelength infrared detector materials
Intrinsic long wavelength (lambda greater than or equal to 10 microns) infrared (IR) detectors are currently made from the alloy (Hg, Cd)Te. There is one parameter, the alloy composition, which can be varied to control the properties of this material. The parameter is chosen to set the band gap (cut-off wavelength). The (Hg, Cd)Te alloy has the zincblend crystal structure. Consequently, the electron and light-hole effective masses are essentially inversely proportional to the band gap. As a result, the electron and light-hole effective masses are very small (M sub(exp asterisk)/M sub o approx. M sub Ih/M sub o approx. less than 0.01) whereas the heavy-hole effective mass is ordinary size (M sub hh(exp asterisk)/M sub o approx. 0.4) for the alloy compositions required for intrinsic long wavelength IR detection. This combination of effective masses leads to rather easy tunneling and relatively large Auger transition rates. These are undesirable characteristics, which must be designed around, of an IR detector material. They follow directly from the fact that (Hg, Cd)Te has the zincblend crystal structure and a small band gap. In small band gap superlattices, such as HgTe/CdTe, In(As, Sb)/InSb and InAs/(Ga,In)Sb, the band gap is determined by the superlattice layer thicknesses as well as by the alloy composition (for superlattices containing an alloy). The effective masses are not directly related to the band gap and can be separately varied. In addition, both strain and quantum confinement can be used to split the light-hole band away from the valence band maximum. These band structure engineering options can be used to reduce tunneling probabilities and Auger transition rates compared with a small band gap zincblend structure material. Researchers discuss the different band structure engineering options for the various classes of small band gap superlattices
Detection of the spin character of Fe(001) surface states by scanning tunneling microscopy: A theoretical proposal
We consider the magnetic structure on the Fe(001) surface and theoretically
study the scanning tunneling spectroscopy using a spin-polarized tip (SP-STM).
We show that minority-spin surface states induce a strong bias dependence of
the tunneling differential conductance which largely depends on the orientation
of the magnetization in the SP-STM tip relative to the easy magnetization axis
in the Fe(001) surface. We propose to use this effect in order to determine the
spin character of the Fe(001) surface states. This technique can be applied
also to other magnetic surfaces in which surface states are observed.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Spin noise of itinerant fermions
We develop a theory of spin noise spectroscopy of itinerant, noninteracting,
spin-carrying fermions in different regimes of temperature and disorder. We use
kinetic equations for the density matrix in spin variables. We find a general
result with a clear physical interpretation, and discuss its dependence on
temperature, the size of the system, and applied magnetic field. We consider
two classes of experimental probes: 1. electron-spin-resonance (ESR)-type
measurements, in which the probe response to a uniform magnetization increases
linearly with the volume sampled, and 2. optical Kerr/Faraday rotation-type
measurements, in which the probe response to a uniform magnetization increases
linearly with the length of the light propagation in the sample, but is
independent of the cross section of the light beam. Our theory provides a
framework for interpreting recent experiments on atomic gases and conduction
electrons in semiconductors and provides a baseline for identifying the effects
of interactions on spin noise spectroscopy
Strain-Induced Conduction Band Spin Splitting in GaAs from First Principles Calculations
We use a recently developed self-consistent GW approximation to present first
principles calculations of the conduction band spin splitting in GaAs under
[110] strain. The spin orbit interaction is taken into account as a
perturbation to the scalar relativistic hamiltonian. These are the first
calculations of conduction band spin splitting under deformation based on a
quasiparticle approach; and because the self-consistent GW scheme accurately
reproduces the relevant band parameters, it is expected to be a reliable
predictor of spin splittings. We also discuss the spin relaxation time under
[110] strain and show that it exhibits an in-plane anisotropy, which can be
exploited to obtain the magnitude and sign of the conduction band spin
splitting experimentally.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl
Reversal of spin polarization in Fe/GaAs (001) driven by resonant surface states: First-principles calculations
A minority-spin resonant state at the Fe/GaAs(001) interface is predicted to
reverse the spin polarization with voltage bias of electrons transmitted across
this interface. Using a Green's function approach within the local spin density
approximation we calculate spin-dependent current in a Fe/GaAs/Cu tunnel
junction as a function of applied bias voltage. We find a change in sign of the
spin polarization of tunneling electrons with bias voltage due to the interface
minority-spin resonance. This result explains recent experimental data on spin
injection in Fe/GaAs contacts and on tunneling magnetoresistance in Fe/GaAs/Fe
magnetic tunnel junctions
Spin noise spectroscopy to probe quantum states of ultracold fermionic atomic gases
Ultracold alkali atoms provide experimentally accessible model systems for
probing quantum states that manifest themselves at the macroscopic scale.
Recent experimental realizations of superfluidity in dilute gases of ultracold
fermionic (half-integer spin) atoms offer exciting opportunities to directly
test theoretical models of related many-body fermion systems that are
inaccessible to experimental manipulation, such as neutron stars and
quark-gluon plasmas. However, the microscopic interactions between fermions are
potentially quite complex, and experiments in ultracold gases to date cannot
clearly distinguish between the qualitatively different microscopic models that
have been proposed. Here, we theoretically demonstrate that optical
measurements of electron spin noise -- the intrinsic, random fluctuations of
spin -- can probe the entangled quantum states of ultracold fermionic atomic
gases and unambiguously reveal the detailed nature of the interatomic
interactions. We show that different models predict different sets of
resonances in the noise spectrum, and once the correct effective interatomic
interaction model is identified, the line-shapes of the spin noise can be used
to constrain this model. Further, experimental measurements of spin noise in
classical (Boltzmann) alkali vapors are used to estimate the expected signal
magnitudes for spin noise measurements in ultracold atom systems and to show
that these measurements are feasible
A quantitative study of spin noise spectroscopy in a classical gas of K atoms
We present a general derivation of the electron spin noise power spectrum in
alkali gases as measured by optical Faraday rotation, which applies to both
classical gases at high temperatures as well as ultracold quantum gases. We
show that the spin-noise power spectrum is determined by an electron spin-spin
correlation function, and we find that measurements of the spin-noise power
spectra for a classical gas of K atoms are in good agreement with the
predicted values. Experimental and theoretical spin noise spectra are directly
and quantitatively compared in both longitudinal and transverse magnetic fields
up to the high magnetic field regime (where Zeeman energies exceed the
intrinsic hyperfine energy splitting of the K ground state)
Modulated optical reflectance measurements on La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 thin films
The modulated optical reflectance (MOR) measurement technique was applied to
colossal magnetoresistive materials, in particular, La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 (LSMO) thin
films. The contactless measurement scheme is prospective for many applications
spanning from materials characterization to new devices like reading heads for
magnetically recorded media. A contrasted room temperature surface scan of a
100 microns wide 400 microns long bridge patterned into LSMO film provided
preliminary information about the film homogeneity. Then the temperature was
varied between 240 and 400 K, i.e. through the ferromagnetic to paramagnetic
transition. A clear relation between the MOR signal measured as function of the
temperature and the relative derivative of the resistivity up to the Curie
temperature was observed. This relationship is fundamental for the MOR
technique and its mechanism was explored in the particular case of LSMO.
Analysis in the framework of the Drude model showed that, within certain
conditions, the measured MOR signal changes are correlated to changes in the
charge carrier concentration.Comment: 29 pages, accepted for publication in J. Appl. Phy
Density and spin response functions in ultracold fermionic atom gases
We propose a new method of detecting the onset of superfluidity in a
two-component ultracold fermionic gas of atoms governed by an attractive
short-range interaction. By studying the two-body correlation functions we find
that a measurement of the momentum distribution of the density and spin
response functions allows one to access separately the normal and anomalous
densities. The change in sign at low momentum transfer of the density response
function signals the transition between a BEC and a BCS regimes, characterized
by small and large pairs, respectively. This change in sign of the density
response function represents an unambiguous signature of the BEC to BCS
crossover. Also, we predict spin rotational symmetry-breaking in this system
Magnetic-field dependence of electron spin relaxation in n-type semiconductors
We present a theoretical investigation of the magnetic field dependence of
the longitudinal () and transverse () spin relaxation times of
conduction band electrons in n-type III-V semiconductors. In particular, we
find that the interplay between the Dyakonov-Perel process and an additional
spin relaxation channel, which originates from the electron wave vector
dependence of the electron -factor, yields a maximal at a finite
magnetic field. We compare our results with existing experimental data on
n-type GaAs and make specific additional predictions for the magnetic field
dependence of electron spin lifetimes.Comment: accepted for publication in PRB, minor changes to previous manuscrip
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