"Listening" to the spin noise of conduction electrons in bulk n:GaAs

S. A. Crooker, L. Cheng, D. L. Smith

Published 2009-09-14Version 1

We report a comprehensive study of stochastic electron spin fluctuations -- spin noise -- in lightly doped ($n$-type) bulk GaAs, which are measured using sensitive optical magnetometry based on off-resonant Faraday rotation. Frequency spectra of electron spin noise are studied as a function of electron density, magnetic field, temperature, probe laser wavelength and intensity, and interaction volume. Electron spin lifetimes $\tau_s$ are inferred from the width of the spin noise spectra, and are compared with direct measurements of $\tau_s$ using conventional Hanle effect methods. Both methods reveal a strong and similar dependence of $\tau_s$ on the wavelength and intensity of the probe laser, highlighting the undesired influence of sub-bandgap absorption effects on the nominally `non-perturbative' spin noise measurements. As a function of temperature, the spin noise power increases approximately linearly from 1.5 K to 30 K, as expected for degenerate electrons obeying Fermi-Dirac statistics, but with an additional zero-temperature offset. Finally, as the cross-sectional area of the probe laser shrinks and fewer electrons are probed, the measured Faraday rotation fluctuations due to electron spin noise are shown to increase, as expected.