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Hot electron spin diffusion in n-type GaAs

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Abstract

We use two-color magneto-optical Kerr (MOKE) microscopy to study low-temperature electron spin diffusion in bulk n-type GaAs (n = 1.4 × 1016 cm−3). We show that simple drift-diffusion models do not describe the spin diffusion for above-bandgap optical spin injection correctly. By variation of the excitation energy and lattice temperature we demonstrate that this discrepancy is caused by the influence of the pump-induced local overheating of the electron system with respect to the lattice, which persists over length scales comparable to the spin diffusion length. Consideration of this hot carrier effect is crucial for a reliable extraction of spin propagation parameters from optical experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physikalisches Institut (EP3) der Universität Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany

    T. Henn, J.-H. Quast, M. Beck, T. Kiessling, W. Ossau & L. W. Molenkamp

Authors
  1. T. Henn
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  2. J.-H. Quast
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  3. M. Beck
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  4. T. Kiessling
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  5. W. Ossau
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  6. L. W. Molenkamp
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Henn.

Additional information

Contribution to the Focus Point “Quantum Spintronics and Related Phenomena” edited by D. Loss, P. Simon, which is a small collection of Lecture and poster presentations at the 183th Course of the International School of Physics “Enrico Fermi”, Varenna, 19–29 June 2012.

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Henn, T., Quast, JH., Beck, M. et al. Hot electron spin diffusion in n-type GaAs. Eur. Phys. J. Plus 129, 118 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2014-14118-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2014-14118-y

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