Spin and phase coherence in quasi-1D InSb wires under strong spin–orbit interaction

Abstract

We investigate the low temperature spin and phase coherence lengths in quasi-one dimensional wires fabricated from a high mobility InSb/InAlSb two dimensional electron system. Spin and phase coherence lengths as a function of wire width and temperature are obtained by fitting the magnetoconductance to an antilocalization theory modified to account for ballistic transport through the wires. Extracted spin coherence lengths are found to be inversely proportional to wire width and display a weak dependence on temperature. Results for the phase coherence length suggest that mechanisms originating in the two dimensional electron system are responsible for phase decoherence.