Berlin 2005 – scientific programme

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HL: Halbleiterphysik

HL 10: Spintronik II

HL 10.2: Talk

Friday, March 4, 2005, 15:15–15:30, TU P270

Dynamics of semiconductor hole systems with effective spin 3/2 — •R. Winkler — Institut für Festkörperphysik, Universität Hannover

Recently, the spin degree of freedom of the charge carriers in semiconductors has become the subject of great interest because of possible novel applications in the field of spintronics. While electrons in the conduction band have spin 1/2, the holes in the valence band of semiconductors like GaAs are characterized by an effective spin 3/2. The dynamics of these hole systems is governed by a strong spin-orbit interaction within the space of spin 3/2 states [1] which gives rise to a splitting of heavy and light hole states in 2D systems. A detailed understanding of hole systems is very important in the context of ferromagnetic semiconductors like GaMnAs where the ferromagnetism is mediated by the spin 3/2 holes in the valence band. We study the spin dynamics of hole systems at magnetic field B=0 and B>0. It is shown that spin 3/2 hole systems behave very different from spin 1/2 electron systems [2]. We discuss possible applications in the field of spintronics.

[1] R. Winkler, Spin-Orbit Coupling Effects in 2D Electron and Hole Systems (Springer, Berlin, 2003).

[2] R. Winkler, Phys. Rev. B 70, 125301 (2004).