Spins in silicon MOSFETs: electron spin relaxation and hyperpolarization of nuclear spins

The spin degree of freedom of both mobile and localized electrons in silicon have extraordinary long spin relaxation times, making silicon an attractive candidate for spintronics applications and quantum information processing. In this talk, we will discuss recent results in measuring the conduction electron spin relaxation and coherence times in silicon MOS systems using electrically detected magnetic resonance. We will also discuss an all-electrical donor nuclear spin polarization method in silicon by exploiting the tunable interaction of donor bound electrons with conduction electrons, demonstrating that donor nuclear spins can be initialized through local gate control of electrical currents without the need for optical excitation.