Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

A. V. Rodina

Publications and source records attributed to A. V. Rodina.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Second harmonic generation spectroscopy of excitons in ZnO

Nonlinear optics of semiconductors is an important field of fundamental and applied research, but surprisingly the role of excitons in the coherent processes leading to harmonics generation has remained essentially unexplored. Here we report results of a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of the three-photon process of optical second harmonic generation (SHG) involving the exciton resonances of the noncentrosymmetric hexagonal wide-band-gap semiconductor ZnO in the photon energy range of 3.2-3.5 eV. Resonant crystallographic SHG is observed for the 1s(A,B), 2s(A,B), 2p(A,B), and 1s(C) excitons. We show that strong SHG signals at these exciton resonances are induced by the application of a magnetic field when the incident and the SHG light wave vectors are along the crystal z-axis where the crystallographic SHG response vanishes. A microscopic theory of SHG generation through excitons is developed, which shows that the nonlinear interaction of coherent light with excitons has to be considered beyond the electric-dipole approximation. Depending on the particular symmetry of the exciton states SHG can originate from the electric- and magnetic-field-induced perturbations of the excitons due to the Stark effect, the spin as well as orbital Zeeman effects, or the magneto-Stark effect. The importance of each mechanism is analyzed and discussed by confronting experimental data and theoretical results for the dependencies of the SHG signals on photon energy, magnetic field, electric field, crystal temperature, and light polarization. Good agreement is obtained between experiment and theory proving the validity of our approach to the complex problem of nonlinear interaction of light with ZnO excitons. This general approach can be applied also to other semiconductors.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Fine structure of the band edge excitons and trions in CdSe/CdS core/shell nanocrystals

We present a theoretical description of excitons and positively and negatively charged trions in "giant" CdSe/CdS core-shell nanocrystals (NCs). The developed theory provides the parameters describing the fine structure of excitons in CdSe/CdS core/thick shell NCs as a function of the CdSe/CdS conduction band offset and the CdSe core radius. We have also developed a general theory describing the fine structure of positively charged trions created in semiconductor NCs with a degenerate valence band. The calculations take into account the complex structure of the CdSe valence band and inter-particle Coulomb and exchange interaction. Presented in this paper are the CdSe core size and CdSe/CdS conduction band offset dependences (i) of the positively charged trion fine structure, (ii) of the binding energy of the negatively charged trion, and (iii) of the radiative decay time for excitons and trions. The results of theoretical calculations are in qualitative agreement with available experimental data.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Intrinsic electric polarization in spin-orbit coupled semiconductor heterostructures

We present Maxwell equations with source terms for the electromagnetic field interacting with a moving electron in a spin-orbit coupled semiconductor heterostructure. We start with the eight--band ${\bm k}{\bm p}$ model and derive the electric and magnetic polarization vectors using the Gordon--like decomposition method. Next, we present the ${\bm k}{\bm p}$ effective Lagrangian for the nonparabolic conduction band electrons interacting with electromagnetic field in semiconductor heterostructures with abrupt interfaces. This Lagrangian gives rise to the Maxwell equations with source terms and boundary conditions at heterointerfaces as well as equations for the electron envelope wave function in the external electromagnetic field together with appropriate boundary conditions. As an example, we consider spin--orbit effects caused by the structure inversion asymmetry for the conduction electron states. We compute the intrinsic contribution to the electric polarization of the steady state electron gas in asymmetric quantum well in equilibrium and in the spin Hall regime. We argue that this contribution, as well as the intrinsic spin Hall current, are not cancelled by the elastic scattering processes.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Least action principle for envelope functions in abrupt heterostructures

We apply the envelope function approach to abrupt heterostructures starting with the least action principle for the microscopic wave function. The interface is treated nonperturbatively, and our approach is applicable to mismatched heterostructure. We obtain the interface connection rules for the multiband envelope function and the short-range interface terms which consist of two physically distinct contributions. The first one depends only on the structure of the interface, and the second one is completely determined by the bulk parameters. We discover new structure inversion asymmetry terms and new magnetic energy terms important in spintronic applications.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Magneto-Optical Properties of Bound Excitons in ZnO

We present results of magneto-optical measurements and theoretical analysis of shallow bound exciton complexes in bulk ZnO. Polarization and angular dependencies of magneto-photoluminescence spectra at 5 T suggest that the upper valence band has $Γ_7$ symmetry. Nitrogen doping leads to the formation of an acceptor center that compensates shallow donors. This is confirmed by the observation of excitons bound to ionized donors in nitrogen doped ZnO. The strongest transition in the ZnO:N ($I_9$ transition) is associated with a donor bound exciton. This conclusion is based on its thermalization behavior in temperature-dependent magneto-transmission measurements and is supported by comparison of the thermalization properties of the $I_9$ and $I_4$ emission lines in temperature-dependent magneto-photoluminescence investigations.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Effect of the Surface on the Electron Quantum Size Levels and Electron g-Factor in Spherical Semiconductor Nanocrystals

The structure of the electron quantum size levels in spherical nanocrystals is studied in the framework of an eight--band effective mass model at zero and weak magnetic fields. The effect of the nanocrystal surface is modeled through the boundary condition imposed on the envelope wave function at the surface. We show that the spin--orbit splitting of the valence band leads to the surface--induced spin--orbit splitting of the excited conduction band states and to the additional surface--induced magnetic moment for electrons in bare nanocrystals. This additional magnetic moment manifests itself in a nonzero surface contribution to the linear Zeeman splitting of all quantum size energy levels including the ground 1S electron state. The fitting of the size dependence of the ground state electron g factor in CdSe nanocrystals has allowed us to determine the appropriate surface parameter of the boundary conditions. The structure of the excited electron states is considered in the limits of weak and strong magnetic fields.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Spin dynamics in semiconductor nanocrystals

Time-resolved Faraday rotation is used to study both transverse and longitudinal spin relaxation in chemically-synthesized CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) 22-80 Angstroms in diameter. The precession of optically-injected spins in a transverse magnetic field occurs at distinct frequencies whose assignment to electron and exciton spins is developed through systematic studies of the size-dependence and theoretical calculations. It is shown that the transverse spin lifetime is limited by inhomogeneous dephasing to a degree that cannot be accounted for by the NC size distribution alone. Longitudinal spin relaxation in these NCs occurs on several distinct timescales ranging from 100 ps-10 microseconds and exhibits markedly different dependencies on temperature and field in comparison to transverse spin relaxation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

General boundary conditions for the envelope function in multiband k.p model

We have derived general boundary conditions (BC) for the multiband envelope functions (which do not contain spurious solutions) in semiconductor heterostructures with abrupt heterointerfaces. These BC require the conservation of the probability flux density normal to the interface and guarantee that the multiband Hamiltonian be self--adjoint. The BC are energy independent and are characteristic properties of the interface. Calculations have been performed of the effect of the general BC on the electron energy levels in a potential well with infinite potential barriers using a coupled two band model. The connection with other approaches to determining BC for the envelope function and to the spurious solution problem in the multiband k.p model are discussed.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗