Electron-Dephasing Time in A Two-Dimensional Spin-Polarized System with Rashba Spin-Orbit Interaction

Abstract

We calculate the dephasing time $τ_ϕ(B)$ of an electron in a two-dimensional quantum well with a Rashba spin-orbit interaction, spin-polarized by an arbitrarily large magnetic field parallel to the layer. $τ_ϕ(B)$ is estimated from the logarithmic corrections to the conductivity, within a perturbative approach, that assumes weak isotropic disorder scattering. Our result indicates that for any value of the magnetic field, the dephasing rate changes with respect to its unpolarized state value by a universal function whose parameter is the ratio of the Zeeman splitting energy $(E_Z)$ to the spin-orbit interaction $(E_{SOI})$, confirming the experimental report published in Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 94}, 186805 (2005) . In the high field limit, when $E_Z>>E_{SOI}$, the dephasing rate saturates and reaches asymptotically to a value equal to twice the spin relaxation rate.