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Conversion of Spin into Directed Electric Current in Quantum Wells

S. D. Ganichev, E. L. Ivchenko, S. N. Danilov, J. Eroms, W. Wegscheider, D. Weiss, and W. Prettl
Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 4358 – Published 7 May 2001
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Abstract

A nonequilibrium population of spin-up and spin-down states in quantum well structures has been achieved applying circularly polarized radiation. The spin polarization results in a directed motion of free carriers in the plane of a quantum well perpendicular to the direction of light propagation. Because of the spin selection rules the direction of the current is determined by the helicity of the light and can be reversed by switching the helicity from right to left handed. A microscopic model is presented which describes the origin of the photon helicity driven current. The model suggests that the system behaves as a battery which generates a spin polarized current.

  • Received 31 January 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.86.4358

©2001 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

S. D. Ganichev1,2, E. L. Ivchenko2, S. N. Danilov1, J. Eroms1, W. Wegscheider1,*, D. Weiss1, and W. Prettl1

  • 1Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Universität Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
  • 2A. F. Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute of the RAS, 194021 St. Petersburg, Russia

  • *Also at Walter Schottky Institut, TU München, 85748 Garching, Germany.

See Also

A New Source of Spin Control

Phys. Rev. Focus 7, 21 (2001)

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Vol. 86, Iss. 19 — 7 May 2001

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