Mapping Spins and Light in Semiconductors

Understanding the interactions of electron spins and photons in semiconductors may enable the development of new devices with enhanced functionality and performance, such as spin-based devices that combine logic and storage and fast optical switches for information processing. In the first half of this talk, I'll describe recent time- and spatially-resolved measurements of electron spin transport that enable sensitive measurements of spin-orbit effects and their dependence on applied electric fields and mechanical strain. These spin splittings provide a mechanism for the electrical generation and manipulation of spin polarization, even in non-magnetic materials. In the second half, I will discuss our effort to spatially control the position of self-assembled InAs quantum dots using prepatterning with a focused ion beam. Quantum dots are promising for information processing, but scalability to many quantum dot qubits is challenging due to their stochastic nucleation. Using scanning confocal techniques, we spatially map the photoluminescence of individual quantum dots to characterize their emission linewidth and placement accuracy.

Speaker: Professor Vanessa Sih, University of Michigan