ULTRAFAST MANIPULATION OF ELECTRON SPIN COHERENCE IN QUANTUM WELLS

Abstract

A recently developed technique is reviewed with the potential for all-optical coherent control over electron spins in semiconductors. In these experiments, ultrafast laser pulses "tip" electron spins by generating effective magnetic fields via the optical Stark effect. Measurements of Stark shifts have provided estimates of the net tipping angle as a function of tipping pulse energy, intensity, and polarization. Background contributions to the measured tipping angle arise from the undesirable excitation of additional carriers by the tipping pulse.