Large Nuclear Overhauser Fields Detected in Vertically Coupled Double Quantum Dots

Abstract

We report the electrical induction and detection of dynamic nuclear polarization in the spin-blockade regime of double GaAs vertical quantum dots. The nuclear Overhauser field measurement relies on bias voltage control of the interdot spin exchange coupling and measurement of dc current at variable external magnetic fields. The largest Overhauser field observed was about 4 T, corresponding to a nuclear polarization approximately 40% for the electronic g factor typical of these devices, |g*| approximately 0.25. A phenomenological model is proposed to explain these observations.