Magnetic excitation and readout of methyl group tunnel coherence

Methyl groups are ubiquitous in synthetic materials and biomolecules. At sufficiently low temperature, they behave as quantum rotors and populate only the rotational ground state. In a symmetric potential, the three localized substates are degenerate and become mixed by the tunnel overlap to delocalized states separated by the tunnel splitting νt. Although νt can be inferred by several techniques, coherent superposition of the tunnel-split states and direct measurement of νt have proven elusive. Here, we show that a nearby electron spin provides a handle on the tunnel transition, allowing for its excitation and readout. Unlike existing dynamical nuclear polarization techniques, our experiment transfers polarization from the electron spin to methyl proton spins with an efficiency that is independent of the magnetic field and does not rely on an unusually large tunnel splitting. Our results also demonstrate control of quantum states despite the lack of an associated transition dipole moment.

Dynamical Nuclear Polarization

The transfer of nonequilibrium spin polarization between the electron and nuclear subsystems is studied in detail. Usually, a thermal orientation of nuclei in magnetic field is negligible due to their small magnetic moments, but if electron spins are optically oriented, efficient nuclear spin polarization can occur. The microscopic approach to the dynamical nuclear polarization effect based on the kinetic equation method, along with a phenomenological but very powerful description of dynamical nuclear polarization in terms of the nuclear spin temperature concept is given. In this way, one can account for the interaction between neighbouring nuclei without solving a complex many-body problem. The hyperfine interaction also induces the feedback of polarized nuclei on the electron spin system giving rise to a number of nonlinear effects: bistability of nuclear spin polarization and anomalous Hanle effect, dragging and locking of optical resonances in quantum dots. Theory is illustrated by experimental data on dynamical nuclear polarization.

Spin Systems in Semiconductor Nanostructures

This chapter is an introduction to a rich variety of effects taking place in the interacting system of electrons and nuclei in semiconductors. It includes also the basics of electronic properties of nanostructures and of spin physics, an overview of fundamental interactions in the electron and nuclear spin systems, the selection rules at optical transitions in semiconductors, spin resonance effect, as well as optical orientation, and dynamical nuclear polarization. In this chapter an analysis of particular features of spin dynamics arising in the structures with localized electrons such as quantum dots, which are studied further in the book, are addressed. The aim of this chapter is to provide basic minimum of information needed to read the remaining chapters.

Electron & Nuclear Spin Dynamics in Semiconductor Nanostructures

In recent years, the physics community has experienced a revival of interest in spin effects in solid state systems. On one hand, solid state systems, particularly semicon- ductors and semiconductor nanosystems, allow one to perform benchtop studies of quantum and relativistic phenomena. On the other hand, interest is supported by the prospects of realizing spin-based electronics where the electron or nuclear spins can play a role of quantum or classical information carriers. This book aims at rather detailed presentation of multifaceted physics of interacting electron and nuclear spins in semiconductors and, particularly, in semiconductor-based low-dimensional structures. The hyperfine interaction of the charge carrier and nuclear spins increases in nanosystems compared with bulk materials due to localization of electrons and holes and results in the spin exchange between these two systems. It gives rise to beautiful and complex physics occurring in the manybody and nonlinear system of electrons and nuclei in semiconductor nanosystems. As a result, an understanding of the intertwined spin systems of electrons and nuclei is crucial for in-depth studying and control of spin phenomena in semiconductors. The book addresses a number of the most prominent effects taking place in semiconductor nanosystems including hyperfine interaction, nuclear magnetic resonance, dynamical nuclear polarization, spin-Faraday and -Kerr effects, processes of electron spin decoherence and relaxation, effects of electron spin precession mode-locking and frequency focusing, as well as fluctuations of electron and nuclear spins.