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

TL;DR

This paper investigates how spin relaxation behaves near the edge of a two-dimensional electron gas, revealing slower relaxation and spin accumulation caused by boundary reflections affecting spin dynamics.

Contribution

It provides analytical and numerical analysis of spin relaxation near edges, highlighting the impact of boundary reflections on spin lifetime and polarization transfer.

Findings

Spin relaxation is slower near the edge than in the bulk.

Spin accumulation occurs at the edge due to slower relaxation.

Reflections from the boundary influence spin precession and polarization dynamics.

Abstract

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.