2003/01/21 by S. A. Tarasenko, E. L. Ivchenko, Tarasenko, S. A. +19
Physics and Astronomy · #Condensed Matter (cond-mat) #FOS: Physical sciences #cond-mat
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0301393
arxiv created 2003/01/21 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30
It is shown that absorption of circularly polarized infrared radiation due to intraband (Drude-like) transitions in n-type bulk semiconductors and due to intra-subband or inter-subband transitions in quantum well (QW) structures results in a monopolar spin orientation of free electrons. Spin polarization in zinc-blende-structure based QWs is demonstrated by the observation of the spin-galvanic and the circular photogalvanic effects. The monopolar spin orientation in n-type materials is shown to be possible if an admixture of valence band states to the conduction band wave function and the spin-orbit splitting of the valence band are taken into account.