Optical probing of spin‐dependent interactions in II–VI semiconductor structures

Abstract

We present a selection of optical experiments, providing information on several spin-dependent interactions in II -VI semiconductor structures. Exciton -exciton and exciton -carrier interactions were studied by time-resolved picosecond pump -probe measurements. Several examples of recent studies involving ion-carrier exchange interaction in quantum wells and layers are discussed, concerning the quest for room temperature ferromagnetic semiconductors, spin temperature of Mn ions in (Cd,Mn)Te quantum wells, and spin relaxation in such wells under pulsed magnetic field. Finally, anisotropic electron -hole exchange in semiconductor quantum dots is discussed in the context of efforts to obtain generation of entangled photon pairs in a biexciton -exciton cascade in a semiconductor quantum dot.