In this paper, we demonstrate a very efficient electrical spin injection into an ensemble of InAs/InGaAs quantum dots at zero magnetic field. The circular polarization of the electroluminescence coming from the dots, which are embedded into a GaAs-based Spin Light Emitting diode reaches a value as large as 20% at low temperature. In this device, no external magnetic field is required in order to inject or read spin polarization thanks to the use of an ultrathin CoFeB electrode (1.1 nm), as well as p-doped quantum dots (with one hole per dot in average) as an optical probe. The electroluminescence circular polarization of the dots follows the hysteresis loop of the magnetic layer and decreases as a function of bias for large voltages. In a reverse way, we have also investigated the possibility to use such a device as a photodetector presenting a photon helicity-dependent photocurrent. We observe a weak asymmetry of photocurrent under right and left polarized light that follows the hysteresis cycle of the magnetic layer, and the effect decreases for increasing temperatures and can be controlled by the bias.
The spectacular progress in controlling the electronic properties of graphene has triggered research in alternative atomically thin two-dimensional crystals. Monolayers (ML) of transition-metal dichalcogenides such as MoS2 have emerged as very promising nanostructures for optical and spintronics applications. Inversion symmetry breaking together with the large spin-orbit interaction leads to a coupling of carrier spin and k-space valley physics, i.e., the circular polarization (σ+ or σ−) of the absorbed or emitted photon can be directly associated with selective carrier excitation in one of the two nonequivalent K valleys (K+ or K−, respectively).
We have investigated the spin and valley properties for both neutral and charged excitons in transition metal dichalcogenide monolayer MoS2, MoSe2 and WSe2 with cw and time-resolved polarized photoluminescence spectroscopy [1,2]. The key role played by exciton exchange interaction will be presented [3]. We also demonstrate that the optical alignment of excitons (“exciton valley coherence”) can be achieved following one or two photon excitation [1,4].
Finally recent results on magneto-photoluminescence spectroscopy on MoSe2 and WSe2 in Faraday configuration up to 9 T will be presented; the results will be discussed in the framework of a k.p theory [5].
[1] G. Wang et al, PRL 114, 97403 (2015)
[2] G. Wang et al, Nature Com. 6, 10110 (2015)
[3] J. P. Echeverry, ArXiv 1601.07351 (2016)
[4] G. Wang et al, PRL 115, 117401 (2015)
[5] G. Wang et al, 2D Mat. 2, 34002 (2015)
In p+ GaAs thin films, under excitation by a tightly-focused laser, the spatial profile of the spin polarization is monitored as a function of excitation power. It is found that photoelectron diffusion depends on spin, as a direct consequence of the Pauli principle which causes a concentration dependence of the spin stiffness. Thermoelectric currents are also predicted to depend on spin under degeneracy (spin Soret currents), but these currents play a relatively small role in this case. The spin dependence of the mobility is also found weak. Conversely, ambipolar coupling with holes increases the steady-state photo-electron density at the place of excitation and therefore the amplitude of the degeneracy-induced polarization decrease at the place of excitation.
Degeneracy of a photoelectron gas is shown to strongly affect spin polarized electron transport since the Pauli
principle dictates a concentration dependence of the spin stiffness and of the mobility. This causes a spin
dependence of the diffusion constant D. A spin-dependence of D as large as 50 % is measured using polarized
microluminescence imaging in p+ GaAs thin films, revealing a novel spin filter effect. The charge diffusion
constant also depends on spin via a second order effect.
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