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Zero-field optical manipulation of magnetic ions in semiconductors

Nature Materials volume 7, pages 203–208 (2008)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 21 February 2008

Abstract

Controlling and monitoring individual spins is desirable for building spin-based devices, as well as implementing quantum information processing schemes. As with trapped ions in cold gases, magnetic ions trapped on a semiconductor lattice have uniform properties and relatively long spin lifetimes. Furthermore, diluted magnetic moments in semiconductors can be strongly coupled to the surrounding host, permitting optical or electrical spin manipulation. Here we describe the zero-field optical manipulation of a few hundred manganese ions in a single gallium arsenide quantum well. Optically created mobile electron spins dynamically generate an energy splitting of the ion spins and enable magnetic moment orientation solely by changing either photon helicity or energy. These polarized manganese spins precess in a transverse field, enabling measurements of the spin lifetimes. As the magnetic ion concentration is reduced and the manganese spin lifetime increases, coherent optical control and readout of single manganese spins in gallium arsenide should be possible.

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Figure 1: Optical spectra of magnetic ions in the QW and DES.
Figure 2: DES of exciton spins in the QW.
Figure 5: Power and temperature dependence of DES and lifetime of Mn ion spins.
Figure 3: Laser-energy dependence of the DES.
Figure 4: Spin dynamics of Mn ions in GaAs QWs.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the ONR, the AFOSR and the NSF.

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Author notes

  1. J.-M. Tang

    Present address: Present address: Department of Physics, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Spintronics and Quantum Computation, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA

    R. C. Myers, M. H. Mikkelsen, A. C. Gossard & D. D. Awschalom

  2. Optical Science and Technology Center and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA

    J.-M. Tang & M. E. Flatté

Authors
  1. R. C. Myers
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  2. M. H. Mikkelsen
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  6. D. D. Awschalom
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Correspondence to D. D. Awschalom.

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Myers, R., Mikkelsen, M., Tang, JM. et al. Zero-field optical manipulation of magnetic ions in semiconductors. Nature Mater 7, 203–208 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2123

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