Abstract

The nature of electronic spin-scattering is central to a wide class of condensed matter systems, ranging from semiconductor quantum wells, magnetic multilayers and granular materials, high-Tc superconductors, Kondo insulators, and magnetic semiconductor quantum structures. The latter class of systems is particularly appealing because one can tailor both the electronic and magnetic properties using MBE techniques. Time-resolved spectroscopies allow one to probe both the electronic and magnetic dynamics within ultrafast timescales, but spatial information is typically diffraction-limited to the wavelength of light. Near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) [1] overcomes this limit, and when combined with femtosecond time resolution and polarization analysis, provides direct information regarding carrier and spin dynamics in both space and time.

© 1995 Optical Society of America