SPIN ELECTRONICS Collaborative Research: Control and Detection of Spin Polarization in Semiconductor Quantum Devices

这项提案是为了响应NSF的21世纪自旋电子倡议，计划征集NSF 02-036。该方案的重点是研究通过使用适当的静电栅极电压来局部诱导、控制和检测半导体微结构中的电子自旋的技术。静电门很容易在亚微米尺度上定义，并且应该提供自旋电流的开关和操纵。为了实现这一目标，人们将寻求各种方法，包括(I)应用于单量子点和双量子点的门可编程核极化，以及核自旋在点到点之间的转移；(Ii)高迁移率GaAsAlAs外延层中的栅控自旋极化；以及(Iii)AlAs中的电子自旋共振(ESR)测量。它依赖于工程和物理领域的三名实验者和一名理论家的专业知识。它还需要研究生和本科生的全面参与，他们将获得尖端材料科学和工程方面的宝贵经验和知识，重点是新兴的、有潜在回报的自旋电子领域。这项工作将集中在普林斯顿大学，哈佛大学有一名研究人员。普林斯顿大学和哈佛大学现有的设施将足以开展所有拟议的工作。申请的大部分资金将用于支持研究生。计划在普林斯顿大学举办研讨会，以确保有重点的研究工作，并加强致力于共同研究目标的学生之间的互动。

This proposal was received in response to the NSF Spin Electronics for the 21st Century Initiative, Program Solicitation NSF 02-036. The proposal focuses on investigation of techniques to locally induce, control, and detect electron spin in semiconductor microstructures by using properly located electrostatic gate voltages. Electrostatic gates are easily defined on a submicron scale and should provide switching and manipulations of spin currents. A variety of approaches to this goal will be pursued, including (i) gate-programmable nuclear polarization applied to single and double quantum dots, and the transfer of nuclear spin from dot to dot, (ii) gate-controlled spin-polarization in high-mobility GaAs/AlAs epitaxial layers; and (iii) electron-spin-resonance {ESR) measurements in AlAs.Combining state-of-the-art fabrication technology, careful measurements, and theoretical analysis, the proposed research is highly interdisciplinary. It relies on expertise of three experimentalists and one theorist in engineering and physics. It also entails the full participation of graduate and undergraduate students, who will gain invaluable experience and knowledge in cutting edge materials science and engineering, with a focus on the emerging and potentially rewarding field of spin electronics.The work will be centered at Princeton University with one investigator at Harvard University. Existing facilities at Princeton and Harvard will be adequate to carry out all the proposed work. The majority of requested funding will be used to support graduate students. Workshops at Princeton are planned to insure a focused research effort and to enhance interaction among students working on the common research goals.