Coherence Control of Hall Charge and Spin Currents

Abstract

Using two-color optical coherence control techniques in intrinsic GaAs at 80 K with orthogonally polarized 70 fs, 1430 and 715 nm pulses, we generate a pure spin source current that yields a transverse Hall pure charge current; or alternatively, with parallel polarized pulses, we generate a pure charge source current that yields a pure spin current. By varying the relative phase or polarization of the incident pulses, one can effectively tune the type, magnitude and direction of both the source and transverse currents without application of electric or magnetic fields.