Surface-sensitive NMR in optically pumped semiconductors

TL;DR

This paper introduces a surface-sensitive NMR technique in optically pumped semiconductors that detects signals from surface regions, enabling targeted nuclear spin polarization at nanostructured interfaces.

Contribution

It presents a novel surface-sensitive NMR scheme utilizing optically oriented nuclei as a polarization reservoir for detecting surface-specific signals in semiconductors.

Findings

Demonstrates surface-specific NMR detection in semiconductors.

Establishes a method for surface nuclear spin polarization.

Provides a basis for surface nuclear spin polarizers.

Abstract

We present a scheme of surface-sensitive nuclear magnetic resonance in optically pumped semiconductors, where an NMR signal from a part of the surface of a bulk compound semiconductor is detected apart from the bulk signal. It utilizes optically oriented nuclei with a long spin-lattice relaxation time as a polarization reservoir for the second (target) nuclei to be detected. It provides a basis for the nuclear spin polarizer [IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. 14, 1635 (2004)], which is a polarization reservoir at a surface of the optically pumped semiconductor that polarizes nuclear spins in a target material in contact through the nanostructured interfaces.