Nondiffusive spin dynamics in a two-dimensional electron gas

C. P. Weber, J. Orenstein, B. Andrei Bernevig, Shou Cheng Zhang, Jason Stephens, D. D. Awschalom

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79 Scopus citations

Abstract

We describe measurements of spin dynamics in the two-dimensional electron gas in GaAs/GaAlAs quantum wells. Optical techniques, including transient spin-grating spectroscopy, are used to probe the relaxation rates of spin polarization waves in the wave vector range from zero to 6×104cm-1. We find that the spin polarization lifetime is maximal at a nonzero wave vector, in contrast with expectations based on ordinary spin diffusion, but in quantitative agreement with recent theories that treat diffusion in the presence of spin-orbit coupling.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number076604
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume98
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 15 2007
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Physics and Astronomy(all)

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