arXiv subjects

I. A. Akimov

Publications and source records attributed to I. A. Akimov.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Dynamics of exciton magnetic polarons in CdMnSe/CdMgSe quantum wells: the effect of self-localization

We study the exciton magnetic polaron (EMP) formation in (Cd,Mn)Se/(Cd,Mg)Se diluted-magnetic-semiconductor quantum wells using time-resolved photoluminescence (PL). The magnetic field and temperature dependencies of this dynamics allow us to separate the non-magnetic and magnetic contributions to the exciton localization. We deduce the EMP energy of 14 meV, which is in agreement with time-integrated measurements based on selective excitation and the magnetic field dependence of the PL circular polarization degree. The polaron formation time of 500 ps is significantly longer than the corresponding values reported earlier. We propose that this behavior is related to strong self-localization of the EMP, accompanied with a squeezing of the heavy-hole envelope wavefunction. This conclusion is also supported by the decrease of the exciton lifetime from 600 ps to 200 - 400 ps with increasing magnetic field and temperature.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2016

Enhancement of electron hot spot relaxation in photoexcited plasmonic structures by thermal diffusion

We demonstrate that in confined plasmonic metal structures subject to ultra-fast laser excitation electron thermal diffusion can provide relaxation faster than the energy transfer to the lattice. This relaxation occurs due to excitation of nanometer-sized hot spots in the confined structure and the sensitivity of its optical parameters to the perturbation in these regions. Both factors become essential when the plasmonic resonance condition is met for both excitation and detection. A pump-probe experiment on plasmonic gold lattices shows sub-picosecond relaxation with the characteristic times well-described by a two-temperature model. The results suggest that dynamical optical response in plasmonic structures can be tuned by selection of the structural geometry as well as the choice of wavelength and polarization of the excitation and detection light.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2016

Optical orientation of hole magnetic polarons in (Cd,Mn)Te/(Cd,Mn,Mg)Te quantum wells

The optically induced spin polarization in (Cd,Mn)Te/(Cd,Mn,Mg)Te diluted-magnetic-semiconductor quantum wells is investigated by means of picosecond pump-probe Kerr rotation. At 1.8 K temperature, additionally to the oscillatory signals from photoexcited electrons and Manganese spins precessing about an external magnetic field, a surprisingly long-lived (up to 60 ns) nonoscillating spin polarization is detected. This polarization is related to optical orientation of equilibrium magnetic polarons involving resident holes. The suggested mechanism for the optical orientation of the equilibrium magnetic polarons indicates that the detected polaron dynamics originates from unexcited magnetic polarons. The polaron spin dynamics is controlled by the anisotropic spin structure of the heavy-hole resulting in a freezing of the polaron magnetic moment in one of the two stable states oriented along the structure growth axis. Spin relaxation between these states is prohibited by a potential barrier, which depends on temperature and magnetic field. The magnetic polaron relaxation is accelerated with increasing temperature and in magnetic field.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Photon echo transients from an inhomogeneous ensemble of semiconductor quantum dots

An ensemble of quantum dot excitons may be used for coherent information manipulation. Due to the ensemble inhomogeneity any optical information retrieval occurs in form of a photon echo. We show that the inhomogeneity can lead to a significant deviation from the conventional echo timing sequence. Variation of the area of the initial rotation pulse, which generates excitons in a dot sub-ensemble only, reveals this complex picture of photon echo formation. We observe a retarded echo for π/2 pulses, while for 3π/2 the echo is advanced in time as evidenced through monitoring the Rabi oscillations in the time-resolved photon echo amplitude from (In,Ga)As/GaAs self-assembled quantum dot structures and confirmed by detailed calculations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Long-range p-d exchange interaction in a ferromagnet-semiconductor hybrid structure

Hybrid structures synthesized from different materials have attracted considerable attention because they may allow not only combination of the functionalities of the individual constituents but also mutual control of their properties. To obtain such a control an interaction between the components needs to be established. For coupling the magnetic properties, an exchange interaction has to be implemented which typically depends on wave function overlap and is therefore short-ranged, so that it may be compromised across the interface. Here we study a hybrid structure consisting of a ferromagnetic Co-layer and a semiconducting CdTe quantum well, separated by a thin (Cd,Mg)Te barrier. In contrast to the expected p-d exchange that decreases exponentially with the wave function overlap of quantum well holes and magnetic Co atoms, we find a long-ranged, robust coupling that does not vary with barrier width up to more than 10 nm. We suggest that the resulting spin polarization of the holes is induced by an effective p-d exchange that is mediated by elliptically polarized phonons.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2015

Optical properties of two-dimensional gallium chalcogenide films

Gallium chalcogenides are promising building blocks for novel van der Waals heterostructures. We report low-temperature micro-photoluminescence (PL) of GaTe and GaSe films with thickness ranging from from 200 nm to a single unit cell. In both materials, PL shows dramatic decrease by 10$^4$-10$^5$ when film thickness is reduced from 200 to 10 nm. Based on evidence from cw and time-resolved PL, we propose a model explaining the PL decrease as a result of non-radiative carrier escape via surface states.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Photon echoes retrieved from semiconductor spins: access to basis for long-term optical memories

The possibility to store optical information is important for classical and quantum communication. Atoms or ions as well as color centers in crystals offer suitable two-level systems for absorbing incoming photons. To obtain a reliable transfer of coherence, strong enough light-matter interaction is required, which may enforce use of ensembles of absorbers, but has the disadvantage of unavoidable inhomogeneities leading to fast dephasing. This obstacle can be overcome by echo techniques that allow recovery of the information as long as the coherence is preserved. Albeit semiconductor quantum structures appear appealing for information storage due to the large oscillator strength of optical transitions, inhomogeneity typically is even more pronounced for them and most importantly the optical coherence is limited to nanoseconds or shorter. Here we show that by transferring the information to electron spins the storage times for the optical coherence can be extended by orders of magnitude up to the spin relaxation time. From the spin reservoir it can be retrieved on purpose by inducing a stimulated photon echo. We demonstrate this for an n-doped CdTe/(Cd,Mg)Te quantum well for which the storage time thereby could be increased by more than three orders of magnitude from the picosecond-range up to tens of nanoseconds.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Exciton-Trion Coherent Interactions in a CdTe/CdMgTe Quantum Well

We present a collection of zero-, one- and two-quantum two-dimensional coherent spectra of excitons and trions in a CdTe/(Cd,Mg)Te quantum well. The set of spectra provides a unique and comprehensive picture of the exciton and trion nonlinear optical response. Exciton-exciton and exciton-trion coherent coupling is manifest as distinct peaks in the spectra, whereas signatures of trion-trion interactions are absent. Excellent agreement using density matrix calculations is obtained, which highlights the essential role of many-body effects on coherent interactions in the quantum well.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Fifth-order nonlinear optical response of excitonic states in an InAs quantum dot ensemble measured with 2D spectroscopy

Exciton, trion and biexciton dephasing rates are measured within the inhomogeneous distribution of an InAs quantum dot (QD) ensemble using two-dimensional Fourier-transform spectroscopy. The dephasing rate of each excitonic state is similar for all QDs in the ensemble and the rates are independent of excitation density. An additional spectral feature -- too weak to be observed in the time-integrated four-wave mixing signal -- appears at high excitation density and is attributed to the $χ^{\textrm{(5)}}$ biexcitonic nonlinear response.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Magnetic field control of photon echo in the electron-trion system: Shuffling of coherences between optically accessible and inaccessible states

We report on magnetic field induced oscillations of the photon echo signal from negatively charged excitons in a CdTe/(Cd,Mg)Te semiconductor quantum well. The oscillatory signal is due to Larmor precession of the electron spin about a transverse magnetic field and depends sensitively on the polarization configuration of the exciting and refocusing pulses. The echo amplitude can be fully tuned from maximum down to zero depending on the time delay between the two pulses and the magnetic field strength. The results are explained in terms of the optical Bloch equations accounting for the spin level structure of electron and trion.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

Plasmonic crystals for ultrafast nanophotonics: Optical switching of surface plasmon polaritons

We demonstrate that the dispersion of surface plasmon polaritons in a periodically perforated gold film can be efficiently manipulated by femtosecond laser pulses with the wavelengths far from the intrinsic resonances of gold. Using a time- and frequency- resolved pump-probe technique we observe shifting of the plasmon polariton resonances with response times from 200 to 800 fs depending on the probe photon energy, through which we obtain comprehensive insight into the electron dynamics in gold. We show that Wood anomalies in the optical spectra provide pronounced resonances in differential transmission and reflection with magnitudes up to 3% for moderate pump fluences of 0.5 mJ/cm^2.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

Extraordinary Magnetooptics in Plasmonic Crystals

Plasmonics has been attracting considerable interest as it allows localization of light at nanoscale dimensions. A breakthrough in integrated nanophotonics can be obtained by fabricating plasmonic functional materials. Such systems may show a rich variety of novel phenomena and also have huge application potential. In particular magnetooptical materials are appealing as they may provide ultrafast control of laser light and surface plasmons via an external magnetic field. Here we demonstrate a new magnetooptical material: a one-dimensional plasmonic crystal formed by a periodically perforated noble metal film on top of a ferromagnetic dielectric film. It provides giant Faraday and Kerr effects as proved by the observation of enhancement of the transverse Kerr effect near Ebbesen's extraordinary transmission peaks by three orders of magnitude. Surface plasmon polaritons play a decisive role in this enhancement, as the Kerr effect depends sensitively on their properties. The plasmonic crystal can be operated in transmission, so that it may be implemented in devices for telecommunication, plasmonic circuitry, magnetic field sensing and all-optical magnetic data storage.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2010

Optical orientation of Mn^2+ ions in GaAs

We report on optical orientation of Mn^2+ in bulk GaAs under application of weak longitudinal magnetic field (B <= 100 mT). The manganese spin polarization of 25% is directly evaluated using spin flip Raman scattering spectroscopy. The dynamical polarization of Mn^2+ occurs due to s-d exchange interaction with optically oriented conduction band electrons. Time-resolved photoluminescence uncovers nontrivial electron spin dynamics where the oriented Mn^2+ ions tend to stabilize the electron spin.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

Sub-nanosecond delay of light in (Cd,Zn)Te crystal

We study excitonic polariton relaxation and propagation in bulk CdZnTe using time- resolved photoluminescence and time-of-flight techniques. Propagation of picosecond optical pulses through 0.745 mm thick crystal results in time delays up to 350 ps, depending on the photon energy. Optical pulses with 150 fs duration become strongly stretched. The spectral dependence of group velocity is consistent with the dispersion of the lower excitonic polariton branch. The lifetimes of excitonic polariton in the upper and lower branches are 1.5 and 3 ns, respectively.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

Spin dynamics of electrons and holes in InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells at milliKelvin temperatures

The carrier spin dynamics in a n-doped (In,Ga)As/GaAs quantum well has been studied by time-resolved Faraday rotation and ellipticity techniques in the temperature range down to 430 milliKelvin. These techniques give data with very different spectral dependencies, from which nonetheless consistent information on the spin dynamics can be obtained, in agreement with theoretical predictions. The mechanisms of long-lived spin coherence generation are discussed for the cases of trion and exciton resonant excitation. We demonstrate that carrier localization leads to a saturation of spin relaxation times at 45 ns for electrons below 4.5 K and at 2 ns for holes below 2.3 K. The underlying spin relaxation mechanisms are discussed.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2009

Long-lived spin memory in Mn-doped GaAs: Time resolved study

We study the electron spin dynamics in p-type GaAs doped with magnetic Mn acceptors by means of time-resolved pump-probe and photoluminescence techniques. Measurements in transverse magnetic fields show a long spin relaxation time of 20 ns that can be uniquely related to electrons. Application of weak longitudinal magnetic fields above 100 mT extends the spin relaxation times up to microseconds which is explained by suppression of the Bir-Aronov-Pikus spin relaxation for the electron on the Mn acceptor.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2008

Collective single mode precession of electron spins in a quantum dot ensemble

We show that the spins of all electrons, each confined in a quantum dot of an (In,Ga)As/GaAs dot ensemble, can be driven into a single mode of precession about a magnetic field. This regime is achieved by allowing only a single mode within the electron spin precession spectrum of the ensemble to be synchronized with a train of periodic optical excitation pulses. Under this condition a nuclei induced frequency focusing leads to a shift of all spin precession frequencies into the synchronized mode. The macroscopic magnetic moment of the electron spins that is created in this regime precesses without dephasing.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2007

Nonequilibrium nuclear-electron spin dynamics in semiconductor quantum dots

We study the spin dynamics in charged quantum dots in the situation where the resident electron is coupled to only about 200 nuclear spins and where the electron spin splitting induced by the Overhauser field does not exceed markedly the spectral broadening. The formation of a dynamical nuclear polarization as well as its subsequent decay by the dipole-dipole interaction is directly resolved in time. Because not limited by intrinsic nonlinearities, almost complete nuclear polarization is achieved, even at elevated temperatures. The data suggest a nonequilibrium mode of nuclear polarization, distinctly different from the spin temperature concept exploited on bulk semiconductors

cond-mat.mes-hall↗