Non-diffusive spin dynamics in a two-dimensional electrongas

Journal Article · Tue Dec 12 00:00:00 EST 2006 · Physical Review Letters

OSTI ID:902139

Weber, Christopher P; Orenstein, Joseph; Bernevig, B Andrei; Zhang, Shou-Cheng; Stephens, Jason; Awschalom, David D

We describe measurements of spin dynamics in thetwo-dimensional electron gas in GaAs/GaAlAs quantum wells. Opticaltechniques, including transient spin-grating spectroscopy, are used toprobe the relaxation rates of spin polarization waves in the wavevectorrange from zero to 6E4 cm-1. We find that the spin polarization lifetimeis maximal at nonzero wavevector, in contrast with expectation based onordinary spin diffusion, but in quantitative agreement with recenttheories that treat diffusion in the presence of spin-orbitcoupling.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Director, Office of Science. Office of Basic EnergySciences; National Science Foundation (NSF)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC02-05CH11231; NSF:DMR-0342832,DMR-0305223
• OSTI ID: 902139
• Report Number(s): LBNL-62092; PRLTAO; R&D Project: 504601; BnR: KC0202020; TRN: US200717%%137
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 98; Related Information: Journal Publication Date: 2007; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36
DIFFUSION
ELECTRON GAS
LIFETIME
POLARIZATION
PROBES
QUANTUM WELLS
RELAXATION
SPECTROSCOPY
SPIN
TRANSIENTS
spin-orbit coupling diffusion