Oscillations of the spin polarization in a two-dimensional Rashba system in a quantizing magnetic field

The kinetics of two-dimensional conduction electrons in a quantizing magnetic field and electric field are investigated with spin-orbit coupling taken into account. Macroscopic energy balance equations for the spin subsystem and the transverse components of the spin are constructed and solved; the polarization of the carrier spins by the electric field in the quantizing magnetic field is determined. General expressions are obtained for the transverse relaxation time of the conduction electron spins at high magnetic fields. It is shown that in a quantizing magnetic field the oscillations of the spin polarization become anomalously large. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.