Impact of optically induced carriers on the spin relaxation of localized electron spins in isotopically enriched silicon

authored by: Michael Beck, Nikolay V. Abrosimov, Jens Hübner, Michael Oestreich
Abstract: We investigate the influence of Auger electrons on the efficiency of optical spin pumping of donor bound electrons in isotopically enriched silicon by means of time-resolved pump-probe absorption spectroscopy. The experimentally observed drastic shortening of the spin relaxation time with increasing optical excitation results from inelastic scattering between free and localized electrons and an interconnected Orbach-type spin relaxation process. The maximal steady-state degree of polarization of the localized electron spins and the probe-beam-induced depolarization dynamics reveal that the fast, nonthermal energy dissipation of the conduction band electron distribution is detrimental for efficient optical spin initialization. In fact, each absorbed photon creates an Auger electron with enough energy to depolarize the spin of ≈30 donor bound electrons but the fast, nonthermal energy dissipation by phonons reduces this spin relaxation efficiency to approximately unity.
Organisation(s): QuantumFrontiers
Institute of Solid State Physics
External Organisation(s): Leibniz Institute for Crystal Growth (IKZ)
Type: Article
Journal: Physical Review B
Volume: 99
ISSN: 2469-9950
Publication date: 03.06.2019
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Condensed Matter Physics
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.99.245201 (Access: Closed)

BibTeX

@article{54bbc07221a84ae7aa1658d088a4e361,
title = "Impact of optically induced carriers on the spin relaxation of localized electron spins in isotopically enriched silicon",
abstract = "We investigate the influence of Auger electrons on the efficiency of optical spin pumping of donor bound electrons in isotopically enriched silicon by means of time-resolved pump-probe absorption spectroscopy. The experimentally observed drastic shortening of the spin relaxation time with increasing optical excitation results from inelastic scattering between free and localized electrons and an interconnected Orbach-type spin relaxation process. The maximal steady-state degree of polarization of the localized electron spins and the probe-beam-induced depolarization dynamics reveal that the fast, nonthermal energy dissipation of the conduction band electron distribution is detrimental for efficient optical spin initialization. In fact, each absorbed photon creates an Auger electron with enough energy to depolarize the spin of ≈30 donor bound electrons but the fast, nonthermal energy dissipation by phonons reduces this spin relaxation efficiency to approximately unity.",
author = "Michael Beck and Abrosimov, {Nikolay V.} and Jens H{\"u}bner and Michael Oestreich",
note = "Funding information: We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the NTH School for Contacts in Nanosystems and funding by the German Science Foundation (DFG) via cluster of excellence “QuantumFrontiers” (EXC 2123), research training group RTG 1991, and Project No. OE 177/10-1.",
year = "2019",
month = jun,
day = "3",
doi = "10.1103/physrevb.99.245201",
language = "English",
volume = "99",
journal = "Physical Review B",
issn = "2469-9950",
publisher = "American Institute of Physics",
number = "24",
}