Collaborative Research: Coherent Dynamics of Electrons, Ions, and Nuclei in Confining Geometries

本提案是一项合作实验，旨在探索限制电子和/或光子的低维系统中电子、离子和核自旋的相干自旋动力学。该实验将重点放在由传统和磁性II-VI和III-V半导体制造的模型纳米结构上，并利用这些系统提供的独特机会，系统地定制限制电子态、磁性离子和原子核之间的自旋相互作用。该项目结合了具有高时间（~100 fs）和空间（~100 nm）分辨率的最先进的自旋动力探针，以及各种半导体结构的复杂材料工程，其尺寸跨越纳米到中尺度。本研究计划的总体目标是通过光学实验，探索异质结构中的时空自旋输运、光学微腔中的相干自旋控制、同位素工程纳米结构中的相干核自旋动力学以及介观模式铁磁体中的相干自旋激发，对半导体中相干自旋现象的控制、输运和存储有一个基本的了解。这些实验可能会对未来明确利用量子现象实现新功能的技术产生广泛而长远的影响。该研究为学生提供了前沿材料工程和凝聚态技术的先进技术培训。主要研究人员将向公众传播他们的科学活动成果，并继续吸引多元化和有才能的学生群体。对半导体中相干自旋态的输运、存储和操作的基本理解对于量子信息科学与技术的未来发展至关重要。当代材料制造技术通过系统地剪裁受限制的电子/光子态与磁性离子/原子核之间的自旋相互作用，为在这种情况下获得重要的模型系统提供了途径。该合作提案旨在使用超快和高空间分辨率的光学技术来探测从纳米尺度到中尺度的各种半导体结构中的相干电子、离子和核自旋动力学。该项目将研究复杂异质结构中的相干自旋输运、光学微腔中的相干自旋控制、同位素工程纳米结构中的相干核自旋动力学以及铁磁半导体纳米结构中的相干自旋激发等基本问题。预计该项目将对凝聚态物理前沿的问题产生重要的基本见解，同时对明确使用自旋电子学或量子现象实现新功能的未来技术产生广泛而长远的影响。该研究为学生提供了在半导体和磁性纳米结构合成、超快光谱学、低温输运和微磁测量等方面的技术培训，因此是学术和工业环境的理想培训场所。主要研究人员将向公众传播他们的科学活动成果，并继续吸引多元化和有才能的学生群体。

This proposal is a collaborative experimental effort that explores the coherent spin dynamics of electrons, ions and nuclear spins in low dimensional systems that confine electrons and/or photons. The proposed experiments focus on model nanostructures fabricated from both conventional and magnetic II-VI and III-V semiconductors and exploit the unique opportunities offered by such systems to systematically tailor spin interactions between confined electronic states, magnetic ions, and nuclei. The project combines state-of-the-art spin dynamical probes having high temporal (~100 fs) and spatial (~100 nm) resolution with sophisticated materials engineering of a variety of semiconductor-based structures whose dimensions span the nano- to the mesoscale. The overall thrust of this research program is to develop a fundamental understanding of the control, transport and storage of coherent spin phenomena in semiconductors via optical experiments that probe spatio-temporal spin transport in heterostructures, coherent spin control in optical microcavities, coherent nuclear spin dynamics in isotopically-engineered nanostructures, and coherent spin excitations in mesoscopically patterned ferromagnets. These experiments potentially have a broad and long range impact on future technologies that explicitly use quantum phenomena for new functionality. The research provides students with advanced technical training in leading edge materials engineering and condensed matter techniques. The principal investigators will disseminate the results of their scientific activity to the general public, and continue to attract a diverse and talented student base. A fundamental understanding of the transport, storage and manipulation of coherent spin states in semiconductors is important for the future development of quantum information science and technology. Contemporary materials fabrication techniques offer access to important model systems in this context by enabling the systematic tailoring of spin interactions between confined electronic/photonic states and magnetic ions/nuclei. This collaborative proposal is aimed at using ultrafast and high-spatial resolution optical techniques to probe coherent electronic, ionic and nuclear spin dynamics in a variety of semiconductor-based architectures with dimensions spanning from the nano- to the mesoscale. The project will address basic issues such as coherent spin transport in complex heterostructures, coherent spin control in optical microcavities, coherent nuclear spin dynamics in isotopically-engineered nanostructures, and coherent spin excitations in ferromagnetic semiconductor nanostructures. It is anticipated that this project will result in important fundamental insights into questions that are at the very forefront of condensed matter physics and simultaneously have a broad and long range impact on future technologies that explicitly use spintronics or quantum phenomena for new functionality. The research provides students with technically sophisticated training in the synthesis of semiconductor and magnetic nanostructures, ultrafast optical spectroscopy, low temperature transport, and micromagnetometry, and is hence an ideal training ground for both academic and industrial environments. The principal investigators will disseminate the results of their scientific activity to the general public, and continue to attract a diverse and talented student base.