Dynamics of Spin Relaxation near the Edge of Two-Dimensional Electron Gas

Yuriy V. Pershin

Published 2004-06-03Version 1

We report calculations of spin relaxation dynamics of two-dimensional electron gas with spin-orbit interaction at the edge region. It is found that the relaxation of spin polarization near the edge is more slow than relaxation in the bulk. That results finally in the spin accumulation at the edge. Time dependence of spin polarization density is calculated analytically and numerically. The mechanism of slower spin relaxation near the edge is related to electrons reflections from the boundary and the lack of the translation symmetry. These reflections partially compensate electron spin precession generated by spin-orbit interaction, consequently making the spin polarization near the edge long living. This effect is accompanied by spin polarization oscillations and spin polarization transfer from the perpendicular to in-plane component.