Anisotropic spin relaxation in $n$-GaAs from strong inhomogeneous hyperfine fields produced by the dynamical polarization of nuclei

N. J Harmon; T. A Peterson; C. C Geppert; S. J Patel; C. J Palmstrøm; P. A Crowell; M. E Flatté

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.92.140201

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Anisotropic spin relaxation in $n$-GaAs from strong inhomogeneous hyperfine fields produced by the dynamical polarization of nuclei

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Anisotropic spin relaxation in $n$-GaAs from strong inhomogeneous hyperfine fields produced by the dynamical polarization of nuclei

N. J Harmon, T. A Peterson, C. C Geppert, S. J Patel, C. J Palmstrøm, P. A Crowell and M. E Flatté

Physical review. B, Condensed matter and materials physics, Vol.92(14), 140201(R)

08/10/2015

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.92.140201

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Abstract

Phys. Rev. B 92, 140201 (2015) The hyperfine field from dynamically polarized nuclei in n-GaAs is very spatially inhomogeneous, as the nu- clear polarization process is most efficient near the randomly-distributed donors. Electrons with polarized spins traversing the bulk semiconductor will experience this inhomogeneous hyperfine field as an effective fluctuating spin precession rate, and thus the spin polarization of an electron ensemble will relax. A theory of spin relaxation based on the theory of random walks is applied to such an ensemble precessing in an oblique magnetic field, and the precise form of the (unequal) longitudinal and transverse spin relaxation analytically derived. To investigate this mechanism, electrical three-terminal Hanle measurements were performed on epitaxially grown Co$_2$MnSi/$n$-GaAs heterostructures fabricated into electrical spin injection devices. The proposed anisotropic spin relaxation mechanism is required to satisfactorily describe the Hanle lineshapes when the applied field is oriented at large oblique angles.

Details

Title: Subtitle: Anisotropic spin relaxation in $n$-GaAs from strong inhomogeneous hyperfine fields produced by the dynamical polarization of nuclei
Creators: N. J Harmon - University of Iowa
T. A Peterson - University of Minnesota
C. C Geppert - University of Minnesota
S. J Patel - University of California, Santa Barbara
C. J Palmstrøm
P. A Crowell - University of Minnesota
M. E Flatté - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Physical review. B, Condensed matter and materials physics, Vol.92(14), 140201(R)
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.92.140201
ISSN: 1098-0121
eISSN: 1550-235X
Grant note: DOI: 10.13039/100007245, name: Microelectronics Advanced Research Corporation; DOI: 10.13039/100000185, name: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; DOI: 10.13039/100000001, name: National Science Foundation, award: DMR-1104951
Language: English
Date published: 08/10/2015
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy; Electrical and Computer Engineering
Record Identifier: 9984200024102771

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