Light-induced electron-spin polarization in cubic crystals

Abstract

From general wave functions transforming irreducibly according to the double groups, generalized selection rules for the production of spin-polarized electrons in cubic crystals by circularly polarized light are derived. Nonzero results are obtained for the $\Delta$ and $\Lambda$ direction, with equal strength for spin-up and spin-down electrons of a particular transition, if right-circular polarization is changed to left-circular polarization. The strength depends on a parameter proportional to the integral performed on the spatial parts of the wave functions. The results can be easily applied to hybridization effects and are confirmed by recent experimental data on tungsten.