Novel Optical Investigations of Spin-Dependent Effects in Semiconductor Nanostructures

这是一份信息技术研究提案(ITR)。直到最近，在电子的潜在应用中，电子的一种固有属性--自旋--一直被忽视。理解和操纵合适的半导体结构中的自旋，为未来全新类型的“自旋电子器件”和制造量子计算机的元件提供了希望。“自旋电子”设备是非易失性的，消耗更少的电力，并且可以比基于电子电荷的传统电子设备更快。这个项目将专注于研究半导体量子结构中电子和空穴的复杂状态以及它们与局部环境的相互作用，这些结构有可能应用于基于自旋的设备，最终可能会找到进入未来基于量子自旋的计算机的方法。一系列光学技术将被用来探测半导体纳米结构中的自旋相关效应。该项目将把广泛的实验研究与理论计算和预测结合起来。三名研究生、一名本科生和一名或多名高中物理教师将参与这些项目。预计结果将揭示新的物理学，并带来对问题的更好理解，这些问题将对实现未来几代信息技术设备至关重要。这是一份信息技术研究提案(ITR)。直到最近，载流子自旋在电子设备中一直被忽视。了解和利用半导体中的载流子自旋为自旋电子器件提供了希望，这种器件具有非易失性，功耗更低，并且可以比基于载流子电荷操纵的器件更快。该项目结合了实验和理论研究，旨在了解和操纵半导体结构中的自旋。为了了解中性激子和自旋单态/三重态激子在实现量子比特中的可能作用，我们将研究横向涨落量子点中中性激子和自旋单态/三重态激子电子态的详细性质。研究自旋注入器件中载流子的自旋态，目的是了解晶格振动、能带结构、声子、界面和扩散距离对自旋极化度的影响。在这些研究中，将使用偏振光致发光(PL)和PL激发光谱，以及自由电子和空穴的光学检测共振(ODR)光谱，以及激子的内部跃迁。三名研究生和一名本科生，一名或多名高中物理教师将参与这些项目。预计结果将揭示新的物理学，并增进对未来信息技术应用的重要问题的理解。

This is an Information Technology Research Proposal (ITR). Until recently, an intrinsic property of electrons, their spin, has been overlooked in potential applications in electronics. Understanding and manipulating spin in appropriate semiconductor structures offers promise for entirely new types of future "spintronic" devices and for producing elements of quantum computers. "Spintronic" devices are non-volatile, consume less power, and can be faster than conventional electronic devices that are based on the charge of the electron. This project will focus on investigating the complex states of electrons and holes and their interactions with the local environment in semiconductor quantum structures that have potential for application in spin-based devices which ultimately might find their way into future quantum spin based computers. An array of optical techniques will be used to probe spin-related effects in semiconductor nanostructures. The project will couple extensive experimental investigations with theoretical calculations and predictions. Three graduate students, one undergraduate student and one or more high school physics teachers will be involved in these projects. Results are expected to reveal new physics and bring improved understanding to issues that will be important for implementing future generations of devices for information technology. This is an Information Technology Research proposal (ITR). Until recently the carrier spin has been overlooked in electronic devices. Understanding and exploiting carrier spin in semiconductors offers promise for spintronic devices, which are non-volatile, consume less power, and can be faster than devices based on manipulation of carrier charge. This project couples experimental and theoretical research directed at understanding and manipulating spins in semiconductor structures. The detailed nature of electronic states of neutral and spin-singlet/-triplet charged excitons in GaAs/AlGaAs lateral fluctuation quantum dots will be investigated with the goal of understanding their role in possible implementation of quantum bits. The spin states of carriers in spin-injection devices will be probed with the goal of understanding the effects of lattice vibrations, band structure, phonons, interfaces and diffusion distances on the degree of spin polarization. Polarized photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation spectroscopies combined with optically detected resonance (ODR) spectroscopy of free electrons and holes, and internal transitions of excitons will be employed in these studies. Three graduate and one undergraduate students, one or more high school physics teachers will be involved in these projects. Results are expected to reveal new physics and bring improved understanding to issues that are important for future information technology applications.