Macroscopic transport of a current-induced spin polarization

TL;DR

This paper reports experimental observations of spin transport in a 2D electron gas, demonstrating spin precession controlled by current-induced magnetic fields and long-distance drift of coherent spins.

Contribution

It provides new experimental insights into macroscopic spin transport and the effects of current-induced spin-orbit fields in quantum well systems.

Findings

Observation of spin precession about a current-controlled magnetic field

Detection of large g-factor variation across the sample

Drift transport of coherent spins over distances exceeding 0.5 mm

Abstract

Experimental studies of spin transport in a two-dimensional electron gas hosted by a triple GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well are reported. Using time-resolved Kerr rotation, we observed the precession of the spin polarization about a current-controlled spin-orbit magnetic field. Spatially-resolved imaging showed a large variation of the electron g-factor and the drift transport of coherent electron spins over distances exceeding half-millimetre in a direction transverse to the electric field.