Quantum Optics Seminar by Moritz Forsch

Interface-induced spin-orbit coupling GaAs nanowires

The nature and manipulation of spin-orbit coupling in semiconductors is currently attracting great attention due to its potential for future spintronic and spin-orbitronic devices. As these effects require symmetry breaking within the crystal structure, they are typically observed in bulk materials with inversion asymmetry or in epitaxial heterostructures. In the latter case, the heterointerface plays a crucial role in tuning the magnitude of the spin-orbit interaction. Due to their extreme interface to volume ratios, core-shell nanowires are an ideal testbed for studying the fundamental properties of spin-orbit coupling at semiconductor heterointerfaces.

We use the non-invasive method of time-resolved µ-photoluminescence spectroscopy to inves­tigate the decay of an optically injected spin ensemble in single GaAs nanowires under the influence of a transverse magnetic field. By systematically investigating different core-shell con­figurations, we can study how the magnitude of the spin-orbit coupling can be tuned, showing the potential for exciting future devices which may take advantage of these effects.