Electron-spin coherent exciton optics in semiconductor quantum wells

Recent time-resolved differential transmission and Faraday rotation measurements of long-lived electron spin coherence in quantum wells displayed intriguing parametric dependencies. For their understanding we formulate a microscopic theory of the optical response of a gas of optically incoherent excitons whose constituent electrons retain spin coherence, under a weak magnetic field applied in the quantum well's plane. We define a spin beat susceptibility and evaluate it in linear order of the exciton density. Our results explain the many-body physics underlying the basic features observed in the experimental measurements.

''Electron-spin beat susceptibility of excitons in semiconductor quantum wells'', Physical Review Letters 103, 056405 (2009), PDF

Involved persons and collaborations:

theory:

Nai H. Kwong , University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
Stefan Schumacher, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
Rolf Binder, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA

experiment:

Yumin Shen, University of Oregon, Eugene, USA
Shannon O'Leary, University of Oregon, Eugene, USA
Hailin Wang, University of Oregon, Eugene, USA