MAGNETIC POLARONS IN SEMIMAGNETIC-SEMICONDUCTOR-BASED HETEROSTRUCTURES

Specific features in the behavior of localized magnetic polarons forme d under optical excitation in heterostructures based on semimagnetic s emiconductors are considered. These features are due to the strong ani sotropy of the hole g factor in low-dimensional systems based on zincb lende crystals. The anisotropy is due to the strong spin-orbit couplin g in the valence band which, in quantum confinement conditions, result s in quadrupole splitting of the hole spin levels. The g factor anisot ropy manifests itself in a strong anisotropy of the magnetic and magne to-optical characteristics of localized magnetic polarons. (C) 1998 Am erican Institute of Physics.