Hanle effect measurements of spin lifetimes in InAs self-assembled quantum dots

Transverse spin lifetimes of spin-polarized photogenerated carriers in InAs self-assembled quantum dots are extracted from the depolarization of their photoluminescence in a magnetic field perpendicular to the spin (the Hanle effect). Hanle measurements on a series of samples reveal that the dot dimensions influence the spin lifetime and its dependence on temperature. The spin lifetime as a function of excitation intensity is qualitatively distinct for carrier spins created in the GaAs host as compared to in the InAs wetting layer. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.