Positive Trions in InP/ZnSe/ZnS Colloidal Nanocrystals

InP-based colloidal nanocrystals are being developed as an alternative to cadmium-based materials. However, their optical properties have not been widely studied. In this paper, the fundamental magneto-optical properties of InP/ZnSe/ZnS nanocrystals are investigated at cryogenic temperatures. Ensemble measurements using two-photon excitation spectroscopy revealed the band-edge hole state to have 1Sh symmetry, resolving some controversy on this issue. Single nanocrystal microphotoluminescence measurements provided increased spectral resolution that facilitated direct detection of the lowest energy confined acoustic phonon mode at 0.9 meV, which is several times smaller than the previously reported values for similar nanocrystals. Zeeman splitting of narrow spectral lines in a magnetic field indicated a bright trion emission. A simple trion model was used to identify a positive trion charge. Furthermore, the Zeeman split spectra allowed the direct measurement of both the electron and hole g-factors, which match existing theoretical predictions.

Weak Dispersion of Exciton Landé Factor with Band Gap Energy in Lead Halide Perovskites: Approximate Compensation of the Electron and Hole Dependences

The optical properties of lead halide perovskite semiconductors in vicinity of the bandgap are controlled by excitons, so that investigation of their fundamental properties is of critical importance. The exciton Landé or g-factor gX is the key parameter, determining the exciton Zeeman spin splitting in magnetic fields. The exciton, electron, and hole carrier g-factors provide information on the band structure, including its anisotropy, and the parameters contributing to the electron and hole effective masses. Here, gX is measured by reflectivity in magnetic fields up to 60 T for lead halide perovskite crystals. The materials band gap energies at a liquid helium temperature vary widely across the visible spectral range from 1.520 up to 3.213 eV in hybrid organic-inorganic and fully inorganic perovskites with different cations and halogens: FA0.9Cs0.1PbI2.8Br0.2, MAPbI3, FAPbBr3, CsPbBr3, and MAPb(Br0.05Cl0.95)3. The exciton g-factors are found to be nearly constant, ranging from +2.3 to +2.7. Thus, the strong dependences of the electron and hole g-factors on the bandgap roughly compensate each other when combining to the exciton g-factor. The same is true for the anisotropies of the carrier g-factors, resulting in a nearly isotropic exciton g-factor. The experimental data are compared favorably with model calculation results.

Coherent Carrier Spin Dynamics in FAPbBr3 Perovskite Crystals

Coherent spin dynamics of electrons and holes are studied in hybrid organic-inorganic lead halide perovskite FAPbBr3 bulk single crystals using the time-resolved Kerr ellipticity technique at cryogenic temperatures. The Larmor spin precession of the carrier spins in a magnetic field is monitored to measure the Landé g-factors of electrons (+2.44) and holes (+0.41). These g-factors are highly isotropic. The measured spin dephasing times amount to a few nanoseconds, and the longitudinal hole spin relaxation time is 470 ns. The important role of the strong hyperfine interaction between carrier spins and nuclear spins is demonstrated via dynamic nuclear polarization. At low temperatures, electron and hole spin relaxation predominantly occurs via the hyperfine interaction, whose importance significantly decreases at temperatures above 12 K. We overview the spin dynamics in various lead halide perovskite crystals and polycrystalline films and conclude on their common features provided by charge carrier localization at cryogenic temperatures.

The squeezed dark nuclear spin state in lead halide perovskites

Coherent many-body states are highly promising for robust quantum information processing. While far-reaching theoretical predictions have been made for various implementations, direct experimental evidence of their appealing properties can be challenging. Here, we demonstrate optical manipulation of the nuclear spin ensemble in the lead halide perovskite semiconductor FAPbBr3 (FA = formamidinium), targeting a long-postulated collective dark state that is insensitive to optical pumping after its build-up. Via optical orientation of localized hole spins we drive the nuclear many-body system into this entangled state, requiring a weak magnetic field of only a few milli-Tesla strength at cryogenic temperatures. During its fast establishment, the nuclear polarization along the optical axis remains small, while the transverse nuclear spin fluctuations are strongly reduced, corresponding to spin squeezing as evidenced by a strong violation of the generalized nuclear squeezing-inequality with ξs < 0.5. The dark state corresponds to an ~35-body entanglement between the nuclei. Dark nuclear spin states can be exploited to store quantum information benefiting from their long-lived many-body coherence and to perform quantum measurements with a precision beyond the standard limit.

Tailoring the Electron and Hole Landé Factors in Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals by Quantum Confinement and Halide Exchange

The tunability of the optical properties of lead halide perovskite nanocrystals makes them highly appealing for applications. Halide anion exchange and quantum confinement enable tailoring of the band gap. For spintronics, the Landé g-factors of electrons and holes are essential. Using empirical tight-binding and k·p methods, we calculate them for nanocrystals of all-inorganic lead halide perovskites CsPbX3 (X = I, Br, Cl). The hole g-factor band gap dependence follows the universal law found for bulk perovskites, while for electrons, a considerable modification is predicted. Based on the k·p analysis, we conclude that this difference arises from the interaction of the bottom conduction band with the spin-orbit split electron states. These predictions are confirmed experimentally for electron and hole g-factors in CsPbI3 nanocrystals in a glass matrix, measured by time-resolved Faraday ellipticity in a magnetic field at cryogenic temperatures.

Coherent Spin Dynamics of Electrons in CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals at Room Temperature

Coherent spin dynamics of charge carriers in CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals are studied in a temperature range of 4-300 K and in magnetic fields of up to 500 mT using time-resolved pump-probe Faraday rotation and differential transmission techniques. We detect electron spin Larmor precession in the entire temperature range. At temperatures below 50 K, hole spin precession is also observed. The temperature dependences of spin-related parameters, such as Landè g-factor and spin dephasing time are measured and analyzed. The electron g-factor increases with growing temperature, which can not be described by the temperature-induced band gap renormalization. We find that photocharging of the nanocrystals with either electrons or holes depends on the sample cooling regime, namely the cooling rate and illumination conditions. The type of the charge carrier provided by the photocharging can be identified via the carrier spin Larmor precession.

Optical Alignment and Optical Orientation of Excitons in CdSe/CdS Colloidal Nanoplatelets

Optical alignment and optical orientation of excitons are studied experimentally on an ensemble of core/shell CdSe/CdS colloidal nanoplatelets. Linear and circular polarization of photoluminescence during resonant excitation of excitons is measured at cryogenic temperatures and with magnetic fields applied in the Faraday geometry. The developed theory addresses the optical alignment and optical orientation of excitons in colloidal nanocrystals, taking into account both bright and dark exciton states in the presence of strong electron-hole exchange interaction and the random in-plane orientation of nanoplatelets within the ensemble. Our theoretical analysis of the obtained experimental data allows us to evaluate the exciton fine structure parameters, the g-factors, and the spin lifetimes of the bright and dark excitons. The optical alignment effect enables the identification of the exciton and trion contributions to the emission spectrum, even in the absence of their clear separation in the spectra.

Long-Lived Exciton Coherence in Mixed-Halide Perovskite Crystals

Compositional engineering of the optical properties of hybrid organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites is crucial for the realization of efficient solar cells and light-emitting devices. We study the effect of band gap fluctuations on coherent exciton dynamics in a mixed FA0.9Cs0.1PbI2.8Br0.2 perovskite crystal by using photon echo spectroscopy. We reveal a narrow homogeneous exciton line width of 16 μeV at a temperature of 1.5 K. The corresponding exciton coherence time T2 = 83 ps is exceptionally long due to the localization of excitons at the scale of tens to hundreds of nanometers. From spectral and temperature dependences of the two- and three-pulse photon echo decay, we conclude that for low-energy excitons pure decoherence associated with elastic scattering on phonons is comparable with the exciton lifetime, while for excitons with higher energies, inelastic scattering to lower energy states via phonon emission dominates.

Spin-Flip Raman Scattering on Electrons and Holes in Two-Dimensional (PEA)2 PbI4 Perovskites

The class of Ruddlesden-Popper type (PEA)2 PbI4 perovskites comprises 2D structures whose optical properties are determined by excitons with a large binding energy of about 260 meV. It complements the family of other 2D semiconductor materials by having the band structure typical for lead halide perovskites, that can be considered as inverted compared to conventional III-V and II-VI semiconductors. Accordingly, novel spin phenomena can be expected for them. Spin-flip Raman scattering is used here to measure the Zeeman splitting of electrons and holes in a magnetic field up to 10 T. From the recorded data, the electron and hole Landé factors (g-factors) are evaluated, their signs are determined, and their anisotropies are measured. The electron g-factor value changes from +2.11 out-of-plane to +2.50 in-plane, while the hole g-factor ranges between -0.13 and -0.51. The spin flips of the resident carriers are arranged via their interaction with photogenerated excitons. Also the double spin-flip process, where a resident electron and a resident hole interact with the same exciton, is observed showing a cumulative Raman shift. Dynamic nuclear spin polarization induced by spin-polarized holes is detected in corresponding changes of the hole Zeeman splitting. An Overhauser field of the polarized nuclei acting on the holes as large as 0.6 T can be achieved.

Universal magnetic proximity effect in ferromagnet-semiconductor quantum well hybrid structures

Hybrid ferromagnet-semiconductor systems possess new outstanding properties, which emerge when bringing magnetic and semiconductor materials into contact. In such structures, the long-range magnetic proximity effect couples the spin systems of the ferromagnet and semiconductor on distances exceeding the carrier wave function overlap. The effect is due to the effective p-d exchange interaction of acceptor-bound holes in the quantum well with d-electrons of the ferromagnet. This indirect interaction is established via the phononic Stark effect mediated by the chiral phonons. Here, we demonstrate that the long-range magnetic proximity effect is universal and observed in hybrid structures with diverse magnetic components and potential barriers of various thicknesses and compositions. We study hybrid structures consisting of a semimetal (magnetite Fe3O4) or dielectric (spinel NiFe2O4) ferromagnet and a CdTe quantum well separated by a nonmagnetic (Cd,Mg)Te barrier. The proximity effect is manifested in the circular polarization of the photoluminescence corresponding to the recombination of photoexcited electrons with holes bound to shallow acceptors in the quantum well induced by magnetite or spinel itself, in contrast to interface ferromagnet in case of metal-based hybrid systems. A nontrivial dynamics of the proximity effect is observed in the studied structures due to recombination-induced dynamic polarization of electrons in the quantum well. It enables the determination of the exchange constant Δexch ≈ 70 μeV in a magnetite-based structure. The universal origin of the long-range exchange interaction along with the possibility of its electrical control offers prospects for the development of low-voltage spintronic devices compatible with existing solid-state electronics.

High-Frequency EPR and ENDOR Spectroscopy of Mn2+ Ions in CdSe/CdMnS Nanoplatelets

Semiconductor colloidal nanoplatelets based of CdSe have excellent optical properties. Their magneto-optical and spin-dependent properties can be greatly modified by implementing magnetic Mn²⁺ ions, using concepts well established for diluted magnetic semiconductors. A variety of magnetic resonance techniques based on high-frequency (94 GHz) electron paramagnetic resonance in continuous wave and pulsed mode were used to get detailed information on the spin structure and spin dynamics of Mn²⁺ ions in core/shell CdSe/(Cd,Mn)S nanoplatelets. We observed two sets of resonances assigned to the Mn²⁺ ions inside the shell and at the nanoplatelet surface. The surface Mn demonstrates a considerably longer spin dynamics than the inner Mn due to lower amount of surrounding Mn²⁺ ions. The interaction between surface Mn²⁺ ions and ¹H nuclei belonging to oleic acid ligands is measured by means of electron nuclear double resonance. This allowed us to estimate the distances between the Mn²⁺ ions and ¹H nuclei, which equal to 0.31 ± 0.04, 0.44 ± 0.09, and more than 0.53 nm. This study shows that the Mn²⁺ ions can serve as atomic-size probes for studying the ligand attachment to the nanoplatelet surface.

Coherent Spin Dynamics of Electrons in Two-Dimensional (PEA)2PbI4 Perovskites

The versatile potential of lead halide perovskites and two-dimensional materials is merged in the Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites having outstanding optical properties. Here, the coherent spin dynamics in Ruddlesden-Popper (PEA)₂PbI₄ perovskites is investigated by picosecond pump-probe Kerr rotation in an external magnetic field. The Larmor spin precession of resident electrons with a spin dephasing time of 190 ps is identified. The longitudinal spin relaxation time in weak magnetic fields measured by the spin inertia method is as long as 25 μs. A significant anisotropy of the electron g-factor with the in-plane value of +2.45 and out-of-plane value of +2.05 is found. The exciton out-of-plane g-factor of +1.6 is measured by magneto-reflectivity. This work contributes to the understanding of the spin-dependent properties of two-dimensional perovskites and their spin dynamics.

A Comparative Study of the Band-Edge Exciton Fine Structure in Zinc Blende and Wurtzite CdSe Nanocrystals

In this paper, we studied the role of the crystal structure in spheroidal CdSe nanocrystals on the band-edge exciton fine structure. Ensembles of zinc blende and wurtzite CdSe nanocrystals are investigated experimentally by two optical techniques: fluorescence line narrowing (FLN) and time-resolved photoluminescence. We argue that the zero-phonon line evaluated by the FLN technique gives the ensemble-averaged energy splitting between the lowest bright and dark exciton states, while the activation energy from the temperature-dependent photoluminescence decay is smaller and corresponds to the energy of an acoustic phonon. The energy splittings between the bright and dark exciton states determined using the FLN technique are found to be the same for zinc blende and wurtzite CdSe nanocrystals. Within the effective mass approximation, we develop a theoretical model considering the following factors: (i) influence of the nanocrystal shape on the bright-dark exciton splitting and the oscillator strength of the bright exciton, and (ii) shape dispersion in the ensemble of the nanocrystals. We show that these two factors result in similar calculated zero-phonon lines in zinc blende and wurtzite CdSe nanocrystals. The account of the nanocrystals shape dispersion allows us to evaluate the linewidth of the zero-phonon line.

Electron Spin Coherence in CdSe Nanocrystals in a Glass Matrix

The coherent spin dynamics of electrons in CdSe nanocrystals embedded in a glass matrix with diameters from 3.3 up to 6.1 nm are investigated by time-resolved Faraday ellipticity at room and cryogenic temperatures. Only one Larmor precession frequency is detected, which corresponds to the larger of the two precession frequencies and thus g-factor values found in the typical signal from solution-grown colloidal CdSe nanocrystals. We identify this frequency accordingly as associated with the spin precession of resident electrons localized in the nanocrystals in the vicinity of the surface. We provide a detailed theoretical analysis of the exciton level spin structure in the magnetic field and model the spin dynamics in CdSe nanocrystals of different symmetries. This allows us to exclude the exciton as the origin of the experimentally observed oscillating signal. At a cryogenic temperature of 6 K, an additional nonoscillating component emerges in the spin dynamics. We consider several possible origins of this signal and conclude that it is related to the hole spin polarization.

Submillisecond Spin Relaxation in CsPb(Cl,Br)3 Perovskite Nanocrystals in a Glass Matrix

Lead halide perovskite nanocrystals in a glass matrix are a promising platform for optoelectronic applications due to their excellent optical properties combined with outstanding stability against the environment. We reveal the potential of this system for spintronics by studying the electron spin properties of CsPb(Cl,Br)₃ nanocrystals in a fluorophosphate glass matrix. Using optical spin orientation and spin depolarization with a radio frequency field, we measure longitudinal spin relaxation time, T₁, reaching several hundreds of microseconds at low temperatures. This time T₁ corresponds to a spin state with a small g factor, which we attribute to a weakly exchange-coupled electron-hole pair with antiparallel spins.

The Landé factors of electrons and holes in lead halide perovskites: universal dependence on the band gap

The Landé or g-factors of charge carriers are decisive for the spin-dependent phenomena in solids and provide also information about the underlying electronic band structure. We present a comprehensive set of experimental data for values and anisotropies of the electron and hole Landé factors in hybrid organic-inorganic (MAPbI₃, MAPb(Br_0.5Cl_0.5)₃, MAPb(Br_0.05Cl_0.95)₃, FAPbBr₃, FA_0.9Cs_0.1PbI_2.8Br_0.2, MA=methylammonium and FA=formamidinium) and all-inorganic (CsPbBr₃) lead halide perovskites, determined by pump-probe Kerr rotation and spin-flip Raman scattering in magnetic fields up to 10 T at cryogenic temperatures. Further, we use first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations in combination with tight-binding and k ⋅ p approaches to calculate microscopically the Landé factors. The results demonstrate their universal dependence on the band gap energy across the different perovskite material classes, which can be summarized in a universal semi-phenomenological expression, in good agreement with experiment.

The Landé factors govern all the spin-related basic phenomena and are the key parameters which guide spintronics applications. Here, Kirstein et al. demonstrate a universal dependence of the Landé factors on the bandgap energy of several perovskite materials.

Lead-Dominated Hyperfine Interaction Impacting the Carrier Spin Dynamics in Halide Perovskites

The outstanding optical quality of lead halide perovskites inspires studies of their potential for the optical control of carrier spins as pursued in other materials. Entering largely uncharted territory, time-resolved pump-probe Kerr rotation is used to explore the coherent spin dynamics of electrons and holes in bulk formamidinium caesium lead iodine bromide (FA_0.9 Cs_0.1 PbI_2.8 Br_0.2 ) and to determine key parameters characterizing interactions of their spins, such as the g-factors and relaxation times. The demonstrated long spin dynamics and narrow g-factor distribution prove the perovskites as promising competitors for conventional semiconductors in spintronics. The dynamic nuclear polarization via spin-oriented holes is realized and the identification of the lead (²⁰⁷ Pb) isotope in optically detected nuclear magnetic resonance proves that the hole-nuclei interaction is dominated by the lead ions. A detailed theoretical analysis accounting for the specifics of the lead halide perovskite materials allows the evaluation of the underlying hyperfine interaction constants, both for electrons and holes. Recombination and spin dynamics evidence that at low temperatures, photogenerated electrons and holes are localized at different regions of the perovskite crystal, resulting in their long lifetimes up to 44 μs. The findings form the base for the tailored development of spin-optoelectronic applications for the large family of lead halide perovskites and their nanostructures.

Exciton Binding Energy in CdSe Nanoplatelets Measured by One- and Two-Photon Absorption

Colloidal semiconductor nanoplatelets exhibit strong quantum confinement for electrons and holes as well as excitons in one dimension, while their in-plane motion is free. Because of the large dielectric contrast between the semiconductor and its ligand environment, the Coulomb interaction between electrons and holes is strongly enhanced. By means of one- and two-photon photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy, we measure the energies of the 1S and 1P exciton states in CdSe nanoplatelets with thicknesses varied from 3 up to 7 monolayers. By comparison with calculations, performed in the effective mass approximation with account of the dielectric enhancement, we evaluate exciton binding energies of 195-315 meV, which is about 20 times greater than that in bulk CdSe. Our calculations of the effective Coulomb potential for very thin nanoplatelets are close to the Rytova-Keldysh model, and the exciton binding energies are comparable with the values reported for monolayer-thick transition metal dichalcogenides.

Coherent Spin Dynamics of Electrons and Holes in CsPbBr3 Colloidal Nanocrystals

The spin dynamics in CsPbBr₃ lead halide perovskite nanocrystals are studied by picosecond pump-probe Faraday rotation in an external magnetic field. Coherent Larmor precession of electrons and holes with spin dephasing times of ∼600 ps is detected in a transversal magnetic field. The longitudinal spin relaxation time in weak magnetic fields reaches 80 ns at a temperature of 5 K. In this regime, the carrier spin dynamics is governed by nuclear spin fluctuations characterized by an effective hyperfine field strength of 25 mT. The Landé factors determining the carrier Zeeman splittings are g_e = +1.73 for electrons and g_h = +0.83 for holes. A comparison with a CsPbBr₃ polycrystalline film and bulk single crystals evidences that the spatial confinement of electrons and holes in the nanocrystals only slightly affects their g factors and spin dynamics.

Stimulated Resonant Spin Amplification Reveals Millisecond Electron Spin Coherence Time of Rare-Earth Ions in Solids

The inhomogeneity of an electron spin ensemble as well as fluctuating environment acting upon individual spins drastically shorten the spin coherence time T_{2} and hinder coherent spin manipulation. We show that this problem can be solved by the simultaneous application of a radio frequency (rf) field, which stimulates coherent spin precession decoupled from an inhomogeneous environment, and periodic optical pulses, which amplify this precession. The resulting resonance, taking place when the rf field frequency approaches the laser pulse repetition frequency, has a width determined by the spin coherence time T_{2} that is free from the effects of inhomogeneity and slow nuclear spin fluctuations. We measure a 50-Hz-narrow electron spin resonance and milliseconds-long T_{2} for electrons in the ground state of Ce^{3+} ions in the yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) lattice at low temperatures, while the inhomogeneous spin dephasing time T_{2}^{*} is only 25 ns. This study paves the way to coherent optical manipulation in spin systems decoupled from their inhomogeneous environment.

Coexistence of Short- and Long-Range Ferromagnetic Proximity Effects in a Fe/(Cd,Mg)Te/CdTe Quantum Well Hybrid Structure

In a Fe/(Cd,Mg)Te/CdTe quantum well hybrid structure, short-range and long-range ferromagnetic proximity effects are found to coexist. The former is observed for conduction band electrons, while the latter is observed for holes bound to shallow acceptors in the CdTe quantum well. These effects arise from the interaction of charge carriers confined in the quantum well with different ferromagnets, where electrons interact with the Fe film and holes with an interfacial ferromagnet at the Fe/(Cd,Mg)Te interface. The two proximity effects originate from fundamentally different physical mechanisms. The short-range proximity effect for electrons is determined by the overlap of their wave functions with d-electrons of the Fe film. On the contrary, the long-range effect for holes bound to acceptors is not associated with overlapping wave functions and can be mediated by elliptically polarized phonons. The coexistence of the two ferromagnetic proximity effects reveals the presence of a nontrivial spin texture within the same heterostructure.

Polarized emission of CdSe nanocrystals in magnetic field: the role of phonon-assisted recombination of the dark exciton

The recombination dynamics and spin polarization of excitons in CdSe nanocrystals synthesized in a glass matrix are investigated using polarized photoluminescence in high magnetic fields up to 30 Tesla. The dynamics are accelerated by increasing temperature and magnetic field, confirming the dark exciton nature of low-temperature photoluminescence (PL). The circularly polarized PL in magnetic fields reveals several unusual appearances: (i) a spectral dependence of the polarization degree, (ii) its low saturation value, and (iii) a stronger intensity of the Zeeman component which is higher in energy. The latter feature is the most surprising being in contradiction with the thermal population of the exciton spin sublevels. The same contradiction was previously observed in the ensemble of wet-chemically synthesized CdSe nanocrystals but was not understood. We present a theory which explains all the observed features and shows that the inverted ordering of the circularly polarized PL maxima from the ensemble of nanocrystals is a result of competition between the zero phonon (ZPL) and one optical phonon-assisted (1PL) emission of the dark excitons. The essential aspects of the theoretical model are different polarization properties of the dark exciton emission via ZPL and 1PL recombination channels and the inhomogeneous broadening of the PL spectrum from the ensemble of nanocrystals exceeding the optical phonon energy.

Rydberg Series of Dark Excitons in Cu_{2}O

We demonstrate the Rydberg series of dark excitons, known as paraexcitons, up to the principal quantum number n=6 for the yellow exciton series in Cu_{2}O, using second harmonic generation. Each of these states is optically inactive to all orders, but their observation becomes possible by application of a magnetic field which leads to mixing with the quadrupole-allowed bright excitons, called orthoexcitons, of the same n. The dark parastates are generally located below the bright orthostates, whose energies are increased by the electron-hole exchange interaction, except for n=2, where this order is reversed. This inversion occurs due to band mixing, namely, of the 2S_{y,o} orthoexciton of the yellow series with the 1S_{g,o} orthoexciton of the green exciton series.

Optically detected magnetic resonance in CdSe/CdMnS nanoplatelets

Core/shell CdSe/(Cd,Mn)S colloidal nanoplatelets containing magnetic Mn2+ ions are investigated by the optically detected magnetic resonance technique, combining 60 GHz microwave excitation and photoluminescence detection. Resonant heating of the Mn spin system is observed. We identify two mechanisms of optical detection, via variation of either the photoluminescence polarization or its intensity in an external magnetic field. The spin-lattice relaxation dynamics of the Mn spin system is measured and used for evaluation of the Mn concentration. In CdSe/(Cd,Zn,Mn)S nanoplatelets the addition of Zn in the shells significantly broadens the magnetic resonance, evidencing local strain.

Dynamic Polarization of Electron Spins Interacting with Nuclei in Semiconductor Nanostructures

We suggest a new spin orientation mechanism for localized electrons: dynamic electron spin polarization provided by nuclear spin fluctuations. The detrimental effect of nuclear spin fluctuations can be harnessed and employed to provide angular momentum for the electrons via the hyperfine interaction in a weak magnetic field. For this, the sample is illuminated by an unpolarized light, which directly polarizes neither the electrons nor the nuclei. We predict that, for the electrons bound in localized excitons, 100% spin polarization can be reached in longitudinal magnetic fields of a few millitesla. The proof of principle experiment is performed on momentum-indirect excitons in (In,Al)As/AlAs quantum dots, where in a magnetic field of 17 mT the electron spin polarization of 30% is measured.

Magneto-Optics of Excitons Interacting with Magnetic Ions in CdSe/CdMnS Colloidal Nanoplatelets

Excitons in diluted magnetic semiconductors represent excellent probes for studying the magnetic properties of these materials. Various magneto-optical effects, which depend sensitively on the exchange interaction of the excitons with the localized spins of the magnetic ions can be used for probing. Here, we study core/shell CdSe/(Cd,Mn)S colloidal nanoplatelets hosting diluted magnetic semiconductor layers. The inclusion of the magnetic Mn²⁺ ions is evidenced by three magneto-optical techniques using high magnetic fields up to 15 T: polarized photoluminescence, optically detected magnetic resonance, and spin-flip Raman scattering. We show that the holes in the excitons play the dominant role in exchange interaction with magnetic ions. We suggest and test an approach for evaluation of the Mn²⁺ concentration based on the spin-lattice relaxation dynamics of the Mn²⁺ spin system.

Charge Separation Dynamics in CdSe/CdS Core/Shell Nanoplatelets Addressed by Coherent Electron Spin Precession

We investigate the charge separation dynamics provided by carrier surface trapping in CdSe/CdS core/shell nanoplatelets by means of a three-laser-beam pump-orientation-probe technique, detecting the electron spin coherence at room temperature. Signals with two Larmor precession frequencies are found, which strongly differ in their dynamical characteristics and dependencies on pump power and shell thickness. The electron trapping process occurs on a time scale of about 10 ns, and the charge separation induced thereby has a long lifetime of up to hundreds of microseconds. On the other hand, the hole trapping requires times from subpicoseconds to hundreds of picoseconds, and the induced charge separation has a lifetime of a few nanoseconds. With increasing CdS shell thickness the hole trapping vanishes, while the electron trapping is still detectable. These findings have important implications for understanding the photophysical processes of nanoplatelets and other colloidal nanostructures.

Surface spin magnetism controls the polarized exciton emission from CdSe nanoplatelets

The surface of nominally diamagnetic colloidal CdSe nanoplatelets can demonstrate paramagnetic behaviour owing to the uncompensated spins of dangling bonds, as we reveal here by optical spectroscopy in high magnetic fields up to 15 T using the exciton spin as a probe of the surface magnetism. The strongly nonlinear magnetic field dependence of the circular polarization of the exciton emission is determined by the magnetization of the dangling-bond spins (DBSs), the exciton spin polarization as well as the spin-dependent recombination of dark excitons. The sign of the exciton-DBS exchange interaction depends on the nanoplatelet growth conditions.

Negatively Charged Excitons in CdSe Nanoplatelets

The low-temperature emission spectrum of CdSe colloidal nanoplatelets (NPLs) consists of two narrow lines. The high-energy line stems from the recombination of neutral excitons. The origin of the low-energy line is currently debated. We experimentally study the spectral shift, emission dynamics, and spin polarization of both lines at low temperatures down to 1.5 K and in high magnetic fields up to 60 T and show that the low-energy line originates from the recombination of negatively charged excitons (trions). This assignment is confirmed by the NPL photocharging dynamics and associated variations in the spectrum. We show that the negatively charged excitons are considerably less sensitive to the presence of surface spins than the neutral excitons. The trion binding energy in three-monolayer-thick NPLs is as large as 30 meV, which is 4 times larger than its value in the two-dimensional limit of a conventional CdSe quantum well confined between semiconductor barriers. A considerable part of this enhancement is gained by the dielectric enhancement effect, which is due to the small dielectric constant of the environment surrounding the NPLs.

Single and Double Electron Spin-Flip Raman Scattering in CdSe Colloidal Nanoplatelets

CdSe colloidal nanoplatelets are studied by spin-flip Raman scattering in magnetic fields up to 5 T. We find pronounced Raman lines shifted from the excitation laser energy by an electron Zeeman splitting. Their polarization selection rules correspond to those expected for scattering mediated by excitons interacting with resident electrons. Surprisingly, Raman signals shifted by twice the electron Zeeman splitting are also observed. The theoretical analysis and experimental dependences show that the mechanism responsible for the double flip involves two resident electrons interacting with a photoexcited exciton. Effects related to various orientations of the nanoplatelets in the ensemble and different orientations of the magnetic field are analyzed.

Dual-Emitting Dot-in-Bulk CdSe/CdS Nanocrystals with Highly Emissive Core- and Shell-Based Trions Sharing the Same Resident Electron

Colloidal CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) overcoated with an ultrathick CdS shell, also known as dot-in-bulk (DiB) structures, can support two types of excitons, one of which is core-localized and the other, shell-localized. In the case of weak "sub-single-exciton" pumping, emission alternates between the core- and shell-related channels, which leads to two-color light. This property makes these structures uniquely suited for a variety of photonic applications as well as ideal model systems for realizing complex excitonic quasi-particles that do not occur in conventional core/shell NCs. Here, we show that the DiB design can enable an unusual regime in which the same long-lived resident electron can endow trionlike characteristics to either of the two excitons of the DiB NC (core- or shell-based). These two spectrally distinct trion states are apparent in the measured photoluminescence (PL) and spin dynamics of core and shell excitons conducted over a wide range of temperatures and applied magnetic fields. Low-temperature PL measurements indicate that core- and shell-based trions are characterized by a nearly ideal (∼100%) emission quantum yield, suggesting the strong suppression of Auger recombination for both types of excitations. Polarization-resolved PL experiments in magnetic fields of up to 60 T reveal that the core- and the shell-localized trions exhibit remarkably similar spin dynamics, which in both cases are controlled by spin-flip processes involving a heavy hole.

Hyperfine Interactions and Slow Spin Dynamics in Quasi-isotropic InP-based Core/Shell Colloidal Nanocrystals

Colloidal InP core nanocrystals are taking over CdSe-based nanocrystals, notably in optoelectronic applications. Despite their use in commercial devices, such as display screens, the optical properties of InP nanocrystals and especially their relation to the exciton fine structures remain poorly understood. In this work, we show that the ensemble magneto-optical properties of InP-based core/shell nanocrystals investigated in strong magnetic fields up to 30 T are strikingly different from other colloidal nanostructures. Notably, the mixing of the lowest spin-forbidden dark exciton state with the nearest spin-allowed bright state does not occur up to the highest magnetic fields applied. This lack of mixing in an ensemble of nanocrystals suggests an anisotropy tolerance of InP nanocrystals. This striking property allowed us to unveil the slow spin dynamics between Zeeman sublevels (up to 400 ns at 15 T). Furthermore, we show that the unexpected magnetic-field-induced lengthening of the dark exciton lifetime results from the hyperfine interaction between the spin of the electron in the dark exciton with the nuclear magnetic moments. Our results demonstrate the richness of the spin physics in InP quantum dots and stress the large potential of InP nanostructures for spin-based applications.

Long-Lived Negative Photocharging in Colloidal CdSe Quantum Dots Revealed by Coherent Electron Spin Precession

Photoinduced charging in CdSe colloidal quantum dots (QDs) is investigated by time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy that is sensitive to electron spin polarization. This technique monitors the coherent spin dynamics of optically oriented electrons precessing around an external magnetic field. By addition of 1-octanethiol to the CdSe QD solution in toluene, an extremely long-lived negative photocharging is detected that lives up to 1 month in an N₂ atmosphere and hours in an air atmosphere at room temperature. 1-Octanethiol not only acts as a hole acceptor but also results in a reduction of the oxygen-induced photo-oxidation in CdSe QDs, allowing air-stable negative photocharging. Two types of negative photocharging states with different spin precession frequencies and very different lifetimes are identified. These findings have important implications for understanding the photophysical processes in colloidal nanostructures.

Origin of Two Larmor Frequencies in the Coherent Spin Dynamics of Colloidal CdSe Quantum Dots Revealed by Controlled Charging

Coherent spin dynamics in colloidal CdSe quantum dots (QDs) typically show two spin components with different Larmor frequencies, whose origin is an open question. We exploit the photocharging approach to identify their origin and find that surface states play a key role in the appearance of the spin signals. By controlling the photocharging with electron or hole acceptors, we show that the specific spin component can be enhanced by the choice of acceptor type. In core/shell CdSe/ZnS QDs, the spin signals are significantly weaker. Our results exclude the neutral exciton as the spin origin and suggest that both Larmor frequencies are related to the coherent spin precession of electrons in photocharged QDs. The lower frequency is due to the electron confined in the middle of the QD, and the higher frequency to the electron additionally localized in the vicinity of the surface.

Polarimetry of photon echo on charged and neutral excitons in semiconductor quantum wells

Coherent optical spectroscopy such as four-wave mixing and photon echo generation deliver rich information on the energy levels involved in optical transitions through the analysis of polarization of the coherent response. In semiconductors, it can be applied to distinguish between different exciton complexes, which is a highly non-trivial problem in optical spectroscopy. We develop a simple approach based on photon echo polarimetry, in which polar plots of the photon echo amplitude are measured as function of the angle φ between the linear polarizations of the two exciting pulses. The rosette-like polar plots reveal a distinct difference between the neutral and charged exciton (trion) optical transitions in semiconductor nanostructures. We demonstrate this experimentally by photon echo polarimetry of a CdTe/(Cd, Mg)Te quantum well. The echoes of the trion and donor-bound exciton are linearly polarized at the angle 2φ with respect to the first pulse polarization and their amplitudes are weakly dependent on φ. While on the exciton the photon echo is co-polarized with the second exciting pulse and its amplitude scales as cosφ.

Coherent spin dynamics of electrons and holes in CsPbBr3 perovskite crystals

The lead halide perovskites demonstrate huge potential for optoelectronic applications, high energy radiation detectors, light emitting devices and solar energy harvesting. Those materials exhibit strong spin-orbit coupling enabling efficient optical orientation of carrier spins in perovskite-based devices with performance controlled by a magnetic field. Here we show that elaborated time-resolved spectroscopy involving strong magnetic fields can be successfully used for perovskites. We perform a comprehensive study of high-quality lead halide perovskite CsPbBr₃ crystals by measuring the exciton and charge carrier g-factors, spin relaxation times and hyperfine interaction of carrier and nuclear spins by means of coherent spin dynamics. Owing to their ‘inverted’ band structure, perovskites represent appealing model systems for semiconductor spintronics exploiting the valence band hole spins, while in conventional semiconductors the conduction band electrons are considered for spin functionality.

Despite remarkable optical properties in lead halide perovskites, spin control in these materials is largely unexplored. Herein Belykh et al. study the coherent spin dynamics of electrons and holes in cesium lead bromide perovskites, and evidence interaction of electron and lattice nuclear spins.

Discretization of the total magnetic field by the nuclear spin bath in fluorine-doped ZnSe

The coherent spin dynamics of fluorine donor-bound electrons in ZnSe induced by pulsed optical excitation is studied in a perpendicular applied magnetic field. The Larmor precession frequency serves as a measure for the total magnetic field exerted onto the electron spins and, surprisingly, does not increase linearly with the applied field, but shows a step-like behavior with pronounced plateaus, given by multiples of the laser repetition rate. This discretization occurs by a feedback mechanism in which the electron spins polarize the nuclear spins, which in turn generate a local Overhauser field adjusting the total magnetic field accordingly. Varying the optical excitation power, we can control the plateaus, in agreement with our theoretical model. From this model, we trace the observed discretization to the optically induced Stark field, which causes the dynamic nuclear polarization.

Understanding the electron and nuclear spin interactions is essential to the application of quantum information devices. Here the authors report a step-like electron Larmor frequency versus external magnetic field due to the discretization of the total magnetic field by the nuclear spin bath in ZnSe:F.

Electron and Hole g-Factors and Spin Dynamics of Negatively Charged Excitons in CdSe/CdS Colloidal Nanoplatelets with Thick Shells

We address spin properties and spin dynamics of carriers and charged excitons in CdSe/CdS colloidal nanoplatelets with thick shells. Magneto-optical studies are performed by time-resolved and polarization-resolved photoluminescence, spin-flip Raman scattering and picosecond pump-probe Faraday rotation in magnetic fields up to 30 T. We show that at low temperatures the nanoplatelets are negatively charged so that their photoluminescence is dominated by radiative recombination of negatively charged excitons (trions). Electron g-factor of 1.68 is measured, and heavy-hole g-factor varying with increasing magnetic field from -0.4 to -0.7 is evaluated. Hole g-factors for two-dimensional structures are calculated for various hole confining potentials for cubic- and wurtzite lattice in CdSe core. These calculations are extended for various quantum dots and nanoplatelets based on II-VI semiconductors. We developed a magneto-optical technique for the quantitative evaluation of the nanoplatelets orientation in ensemble.

Addressing the exciton fine structure in colloidal nanocrystals: the case of CdSe nanoplatelets

We study the band-edge exciton fine structure and in particular its bright-dark splitting in colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals by four different optical methods based on fluorescence line narrowing and time-resolved measurements at various temperatures down to 2 K. We demonstrate that all these methods provide consistent splitting values and discuss their advances and limitations. Colloidal CdSe nanoplatelets with thicknesses of 3, 4 and 5 monolayers are chosen for experimental demonstrations. The bright-dark splitting of excitons varies from 3.2 to 6.0 meV and is inversely proportional to the nanoplatelet thickness. Good agreement between experimental and theoretically calculated size dependence of the bright-dark exciton splitting is achieved. The recombination rates of the bright and dark excitons and the bright to dark relaxation rate are measured by time-resolved techniques.

Negatively Charged and Dark Excitons in CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals Revealed by High Magnetic Fields

The optical properties of colloidal cesium lead halide perovskite (CsPbBr₃) nanocrystals are examined by time-resolved and polarization-resolved spectroscopy in high magnetic fields up to 30 T. We unambiguously show that at cryogenic temperatures the emission is dominated by recombination of negatively charged excitons with radiative decay time of 300 ps. The additional long-lived emission, which decay time shortens from 40 down to 8 ns and in which the decay time shortens and relative amplitude increases in high magnetic fields, evidences the presence of a dark exciton. We evaluate g-factors of the bright exciton g_X = +2.4, the electron g_e = +2.18, and the hole g_h = -0.22.

Generation of spin waves by a train of fs-laser pulses: a novel approach for tuning magnon wavelength

Currently spin waves are considered for computation and data processing as an alternative to charge currents. Generation of spin waves by ultrashort laser pulses provides several important advances with respect to conventional approaches using microwaves. In particular, focused laser spot works as a point source for spin waves and allows for directional control of spin waves and switching between their different types. For further progress in this direction it is important to manipulate with the spectrum of the optically generated spin waves. Here we tackle this problem by launching spin waves by a sequence of femtosecond laser pulses with pulse interval much shorter than the relaxation time of the magnetization oscillations. This leads to the cumulative phenomenon and allows us to generate magnons in a specific narrow range of wavenumbers. The wavelength of spin waves can be tuned from 15 μm to hundreds of microns by sweeping the external magnetic field by only 10 Oe or by slight variation of the pulse repetition rate. Our findings expand the capabilities of the optical spin pump-probe technique and provide a new method for the spin wave generation and control.

Magnetic polaron on dangling-bond spins in CdSe colloidal nanocrystals

Non-magnetic colloidal nanostructures can demonstrate magnetic properties typical for diluted magnetic semiconductors because the spins of dangling bonds at their surface can act as the localized spins of magnetic ions. Here we report the observation of dangling-bond magnetic polarons (DBMPs) in 2.8-nm diameter CdSe colloidal nanocrystals (NCs). The DBMP binding energy of 7 meV is measured from the spectral shift of the emission lines under selective laser excitation. The polaron formation at low temperatures occurs by optical orientation of the dangling-bond spins (DBSs) that result from dangling-bond-assisted radiative recombination of spin-forbidden dark excitons. Modelling of the temperature dependence of the DBMP-binding energy and emission intensity shows that the DBMP is composed of a dark exciton and about 60 DBSs. The exchange integral of one DBS with the electron confined in the NC is ∼0.12 meV.

Zn-VI quasiparticle gaps and optical spectra from many-body calculations

The electronic band structures of hexagonal ZnO and cubic ZnS, ZnSe, and ZnTe compounds are determined within hybrid-density-functional theory and quasiparticle calculations. It is found that the band-edge energies calculated on the [Formula: see text] (Zn chalcogenides) or GW (ZnO) level of theory agree well with experiment, while fully self-consistent QSGW calculations are required for the correct description of the Zn 3d bands. The quasiparticle band structures are used to calculate the linear response and second-harmonic-generation (SHG) spectra of the Zn-VI compounds. Excitonic effects in the optical absorption are accounted for within the Bethe-Salpeter approach. The calculated spectra are discussed in the context of previous experimental data and present SHG measurements for ZnO.

Dynamic Evolution from Negative to Positive Photocharging in Colloidal CdS Quantum Dots

The optical properties of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals are largely influenced by the trapping of charge carriers on the nanocrystal surface. Different concentrations of electron and hole traps and different rates of their capture to the traps provide dynamical charging of otherwise neutral nanocrystals. We study the photocharging formation and evolution dynamics in CdS colloidal quantum dots with native oleic acid surface ligands. A time-resolved technique with three laser pulses (pump, orientation, and probe) is developed to monitor the photocharging dynamics with picosecond resolution on wide time scales ranging from picoseconds to milliseconds. The detection is based on measuring the coherent spin dynamics of electrons, allowing us to distinguish the type of carrier in the QD core (electron or hole). We find that although initially negative photocharging happens because of fast hole trapping, it eventually evolves to positive photocharging due to electron trapping and hole detrapping. The positive photocharging lasts up to hundreds of microseconds at room temperature. These findings give insight into the photocharging process and provide valuable information for understanding the mechanisms responsible for the emission blinking in colloidal nanostructures.

Direct Measurements of Magnetic Polarons in Cd1-xMnxSe Nanocrystals from Resonant Photoluminescence

In semiconductors, quantum confinement can greatly enhance the interaction between band carriers (electrons and holes) and dopant atoms. One manifestation of this enhancement is the increased stability of exciton magnetic polarons in magnetically doped nanostructures. In the limit of very strong 0D confinement that is realized in colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals, a single exciton can exert an effective exchange field B_ex on the embedded magnetic dopants that exceeds several tesla. Here we use the very sensitive method of resonant photoluminescence (PL) to directly measure the presence and properties of exciton magnetic polarons in colloidal Cd_1-xMn_xSe nanocrystals. Despite small Mn²⁺ concentrations (x = 0.4-1.6%), large polaron binding energies up to ∼26 meV are observed at low temperatures via the substantial Stokes shift between the pump laser and the resonant PL maximum, indicating nearly complete alignment of all Mn²⁺ spins by B_ex. Temperature and magnetic field-dependent studies reveal that B_ex ≈ 10 T in these nanocrystals, in good agreement with theoretical estimates. Further, the emission line widths provide direct insight into the statistical fluctuations of the Mn²⁺ spins. These resonant PL studies provide detailed insight into collective magnetic phenomena, especially in lightly doped nanocrystals where conventional techniques such as nonresonant PL or time-resolved PL provide ambiguous results.

Picosecond Control of Quantum Dot Laser Emission by Coherent Phonons

A picosecond acoustic pulse can be used to control the lasing emission from semiconductor nanostructures by shifting their electronic transitions. When the active medium, here an ensemble of (In,Ga)As quantum dots, is shifted into or out of resonance with the cavity mode, a large enhancement or suppression of the lasing emission can dynamically be achieved. Most interesting, even in the case when gain medium and cavity mode are in resonance, we observe an enhancement of the lasing due to shaking by coherent phonons. In order to understand the interactions of the nonlinearly coupled photon-exciton-phonon subsystems, we develop a semiclassical model and find an excellent agreement between theory and experiment.

Band-Edge Exciton Fine Structure and Recombination Dynamics in InP/ZnS Colloidal Nanocrystals

We report on a temperature-, time-, and spectrally resolved study of the photoluminescence of type-I InP/ZnS colloidal nanocrystals with varying core size. By studying the exciton recombination dynamics we assess the exciton fine structure in these systems. In addition to the typical bright-dark doublet, the photoluminescence stems from an upper bright state in spite of its large energy splitting (∼100 meV). This striking observation results from dramatically lengthened thermalization processes among the fine structure levels and points to optical-phonon bottleneck effects in InP/ZnS nanocrystals. Furthermore, our data show that the radiative recombination of the dark exciton scales linearly with the bright-dark energy splitting for CdSe and InP nanocrystals. This finding strongly suggests a universal dangling bonds-assisted recombination of the dark exciton in colloidal nanostructures.

Coherent Acoustic Phonons in Colloidal Semiconductor Nanocrystal Superlattices

The phonon properties of films fabricated from colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals play a major role in thermal conductance and electron scattering, which govern the principles for building colloidal-based electronics and optics including thermoelectric devices with a high ZT factor. The key point in understanding the phonon properties is to obtain the strength of the elastic bonds formed by organic ligands connecting the individual nanocrystallites. In the case of very weak bonding, the ligands become the bottleneck for phonon transport between infinitively rigid nanocrystals. In the opposite case of strong bonding, the colloids cannot be considered as infinitively rigid beads and the distortion of the superlattice caused by phonons includes the distortion of the colloids themselves. We use the picosecond acoustics technique to study the acoustic coherent phonons in superlattices of nanometer crystalline CdSe colloids. We observe the quantization of phonons with frequencies up to 30 GHz. The frequencies of quantized phonons depend on the thickness of the colloidal films and possess linear phonon dispersion. The measured speed of sound and corresponding wave modulus in the colloidal films point on the strong elastic coupling provided by organic ligands between colloidal nanocrystals.

Picosecond acoustics in semiconductor optoelectronic nanostructures

We overview the results of three recently performed experiments, where the picosecond acoustic technique was applied to semiconductor devices with quantum wells or quantum dots embedded in an optical microcavity. In these experiments, high amplitude picosecond strain pulses are injected into such a device and the resulting changes in the response of the optical resonance are monitored. First, in quantum well devices we observe the generation of THz sidebands in optical reflectivity near the polariton resonance. Second, for certain conditions we detect the destruction and recurrence of excitons by acoustic shock waves on picosecond time scales. Third, in a vertical cavity surface emitting laser with a quantum dot layer the injection of the picosecond strain pulses induces the giant increase of the laser output. All these effects are governed by nonadiabatic processes in the interaction between a strain pulse and the electronic quantum confined states. Their observation became possible due to the possibility of generating very short strain pulses with sufficiently high amplitude.

Lasing from active optomechanical resonators

Planar microcavities with distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) host, besides confined optical modes, also mechanical resonances due to stop bands in the phonon dispersion relation of the DBRs. These resonances have frequencies in the 10- to 100-GHz range, depending on the resonator's optical wavelength, with quality factors exceeding 1,000. The interaction of photons and phonons in such optomechanical systems can be drastically enhanced, opening a new route towards the manipulation of light. Here we implemented active semiconducting layers into the microcavity to obtain a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). Thereby, three resonant excitations--photons, phonons and electrons--can interact strongly with each other providing modulation of the VCSEL laser emission: a picosecond strain pulse injected into the VCSEL excites long-living mechanical resonances therein. As a result, modulation of the lasing intensity at frequencies up to 40 GHz is observed. From these findings, prospective applications of active optomechanical resonators integrated into nanophotonic circuits may emerge.