Geometric dephasing-limited Hanle effect in long-distance lateral silicon spin transport devices

Evidence of spin precession and dephasing (Hanle effect) induced by a magnetic field is the only unequivocal proof of spin-polarized conduction electron transport in semiconductor devices. However, when spin dephasing is very strong, Hanle effect in a uniaxial magnetic field can be impossible to measure. Using a silicon device with lateral injector-detector separation of over 2 mm and geometrically induced dephasing making spin transport completely incoherent, we show experimentally and theoretically that Hanle effect can still be measured using a two-axis magnetic field. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3006333]