Effect of Ka-band microwave on the spin dynamics of electrons in a GaAs/Al0.35Ga0.65As heterostructure

Abstract

We report experimental results of the effect of Ka-band microwave on the spin dynamics of electrons in a 2D electron system in a GaAs/Al 0.35 Ga 0.65 As heterostructure, via time-resolved Kerr rotation measurements. While the microwave reduces the transverse spin lifetime of the bulk GaAs when its frequency is close to the Zeeman splitting of the electrons in the magnetic field, it significantly increases that of electrons in the 2D electron system, from 745 ps to 1213 ps. Such a microwave-enhanced spin lifetime is ascribed to the microwave-induced electron scattering which leads to a "motional narrowing" of spins via D'yakonov-Perel' mechanism.