Optical Pumping and Optical Detection of Spin-Polarized Electrons in a Conduction Band

Abstract

Spin-polarized electrons are created in the conduction band of p-type GaSb by excitation with σ+ or σ− circularly polarized light. The degree of polarization of the photoluminescence is used to measure the optically pumped spin polarization. The measurements as a function of transverse magnetic field yield the spin-relaxation time and the lifetime of the photocreated electrons. The degree of polarization oscillates as a function of the photon energy of the excitation light. This effect is associated with mechanisms of rapid energy loss involving optical and acoustical phonons. The optical pumping is studied as a function of temperature in the range 3.5 °K ≤ T ≤ 11 °K. A maximum spin polarization [Formula: see text] is obtained at [Formula: see text]. The efficiency of the optical pumping is significantly increased with the application of a weak longitudinal magnetic field.