Abstract

Control over spins in the solid state forms the basis for nascent spintronics and quantum information technologies [1]. There is a growing interest in the use of electronic and nuclear spins in semiconductor nanostructures as a medium for the manipulation and storage of both classical and quantum information. Spin-based electronics offer remarkable opportunities for exploiting the robustness of quantum spin states by combining standard electronics with spin-dependent effects that arise from the interactions between electrons, nuclei, and magnetic fields. Here we provide an overview of recent developments in coherent electronic spin dynamics in semiconductors and quantum structures, including a discussion of temporally- and spatially-resolved magneto-optical measurements that reveal an interesting interplay between electronic and nuclear spins. In particular, we present an electrical scheme for local spin manipulation based on g-tensor modulation resonance (g-TMR), functionally equivalent to electron spin resonance (ESR) but without the use of time-dependent magnetic fields [2]. The technique of g-TMR enables three-dimensional control of electron spins in nanometer-scale geometries using a single voltage signal. These optoelectronic results provide a compelling proof of concept that quantum spin information can be locally manipulated using high-speed electrical circuits.

© 2003 Optical Society of America