Interplay of spin mode locking and nuclei-induced frequency focusing in quantum dots

Abstract

We study the influence of nuclei-induced frequency focusing on the mode locking of spin coherence in quantum dots subjected to a periodic train of optical pulses. In particular, we address the question whether or not nuclei-induced frequency focusing always enhances the effect of spin mode locking. We combine two advanced semiclassical approaches and extend the resulting model by including the full dynamics of the optically excited trion state. In order to reduce the discrepancy to a full quantum model, we establish a nondeterministic pulse description by interpreting each pump pulse as a measurement. Both extensions lead to significant qualitative changes of the physics. Their combination improves the description of the corresponding experiments. Importantly, we observe the emergence of dynamic nuclear polarization, i.e., the formation of a nonzero average polarization of the nuclear spin bath, leading to a certain increase of the coherence time.