Spin-galvanic effect due to optical spin orientation in<i>n</i>-type GaAs quantum well structures

Abstract

Under oblique incidence of circularly polarized infrared radiation the spin-galvanic effect (SGE) has been unambiguously observed in (001)-grown n-type GaAs quantum well structures in the absence of any external magnetic field. Resonant intersubband transitions have been obtained making use of the tunability of the free-electron laser FELIX. A microscopic theory of the SGE for intersubband transitions has been developed, which is in good agreement with experimental findings.