Resonant cooling of nuclear spins by optically-oriented holes in MAPbI$_3$ perovskite crystals

Abstract

Resonant cooling of nuclear spins by photogenerated spin-oriented holes is demonstrated for MAPbI$_3$ perovskite crystals. It is evidenced by Hanle-effect measurements under helicity-modulated excitation with variable frequency. The resonance position in magnetic field shifts toward higher fields with increasing modulation frequency. The invariance of the Hanle curve upon in-plane sample rotation is consistent with the involvement of $^{207}$Pb nuclei with spin $I = 1/2$, which do not exhibit quadrupolar splitting. The shape of the resonance feature in the Hanle curve reveals that the nuclear spins are cooled by carriers with a negative $g$-factor, consistent with holes. The resonance fields associated with the modulation frequencies exceed the half-width of the weakly localized hole contribution to the Hanle curve, indicating that strongly localized holes are the primary carriers responsible for the nuclear spin cooling.