Inter-dot spin exchange interaction in coupled II-VI semiconductor quantum dots

We have performed polarization selective photoluminescence (PL) experiment on a series of self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) in the form of single- and double-QD layer systems. The double layers were formed from diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) (either CdMnSe or CdZnMnSe) and non-DMS (either CdSe or CdZnSe) layers, separated by non-DMS ZnSe barriers. The peaks from DMS and non-DMS QD layers are clearly resolved in the PL spectra taken at zero magnetic field. When a magnetic field is applied to the double layer QD (DLQD) system, the intensities of the circularly polarized PL peaks corresponding to the non-DMS (i.e., CdSe and CdZnSe) layers exhibit significant changes, reflecting correspondingly large changes in the degrees of spin polarization of the non-DMS QDs. This enhancement of spin polarization observed in the double-layer QD structures is interpreted in terms of anti-parallel spin interaction between carriers localized in the coupled QD pairs.