Spin-dependent phenomena in semiconductor nanostructures
The electronic spin is a quantum property which has long been neglected in the science and almost all applications of semiconductor devices. However, as the size of such devices approaches the nanometer scale, this spin degree of freedom becomes increasingly important. As a matter of fact, in all devices with a physical size approaching the de Broglie wavelength of charge carriers, spin-dependent phenomena become important and can be put to good use for future “spintronic” devices. We investigate the influence of spin on the electronic (electrically detected magnetic resonance) and optical properties (optically detected magnetic resonance) of various semiconductor nano-structures. The understanding, detection, and control of spin-properties at an atomic level is an important goal of current semiconductor nanoscience. Within this context, we investigate different model systems (semimagnetic semiconductors, nanometer devices, single defects) and try to identify to what extent their macroscopic electronic properties are influenced by spin properties at the atomic level. This work is supported by DFG (SFB 631).
