Temperature dependence of spin lifetime of conduction electrons in bulk germanium

Optically generated spin polarized electrons in bulk n-type Ge samples have been detected by using a radio-frequency modulation technique. Using the Hanle effect in an external magnetic field, the spin lifetime was measured as a function of temperature in the range 90 K to 180 K. The lifetime decreases with increasing temperature from similar to 5 ns at 100 K to similar to 2 ns at 180 K. We show that the temperature dependence is consistent with the Elliott-Yafet spin relaxation mechanism [R. J. Elliot, Phys. Rev. 96, 266 (1954)]. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4772500]