Breakdown of the Korringa Law of Nuclear Spin Relaxation in Metallic GaAs

Abstract

We present nuclear spin relaxation measurements in GaAs epilayers using a new pump-probe technique in all-electrical, lateral spin-valve devices. The measured T1 times agree very well with NMR data available for T > 1 K. However, the nuclear spin relaxation rate clearly deviates from the well-established Korringa law expected in metallic samples and follows a sub-linear temperature dependence 1/T1 ~ T^0.6 for 0.1 K < T < 10 K. Further, we investigate nuclear spin inhomogeneities.

5 pages, 4 (color) figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1109.6332