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 language | English (US) |
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Article number | 076604 |
Journal | Physical review letters |
Volume | 98 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 15 2007 |
Externally published | Yes |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Physics and Astronomy(all)