Open AccessFrequency-domain optical probing of coherent spins in nanocrystal quantum dots
Author(s) -
J. A. Frey,
Jesse Berezovsky
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.20.020011
Subject(s) - laser linewidth , dephasing , femtosecond , ultrashort pulse , physics , coherence (philosophical gambling strategy) , laser , optics , faraday effect , spin (aerodynamics) , condensed matter physics , magnetic field , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
Spin-photon interactions such as the Faraday effect provide techniques for measuring coherent spin dynamics in semiconductors. In contrast to typical ultrafast pulsed laser techniques, which measure spin dynamics in the time domain with an intense, spectrally broad probe pulse, we demonstrate a frequency-domain spin-photon resonance effect using modulated continuous-wave lasers which enables measurement of GHz-scale coherent spin dynamics in semiconductors with minimal spectral linewidth. This technique permits high-resolution spectroscopic measurements not possible with ultrafast methods. We have employed this effect to observe coherent spin dynamics in CdSe nanocrystals using standard diode lasers. By fitting the results to the expected model, we extract electron g-factors, and spin coherence and dephasing times in agreement with time-domain measurements.