Magneto-quantum oscillations of the Korringa relaxation rate of manganese ion near a two-dimensional electron gas

The Mn ion-spin relaxation rate (Korringa relaxation) in the vicinity of the two-dimensional electrons (2DEG) in a Mn-based semiconductor nanostructures in a quantizing magnetic field was calculated. The Korringa relaxation is an energy-consuming process due to the difference in magnetic moments of localized and electrons spins involved. The mechanism of energy transfer between the Mn spin and the 2DEG is exchange scattering of the Landau electrons with a transition from the e [ sub-band to the e Y sub-band accompanied by a change in the Mn spin. It was found that due to the presence of Landau levels and the spin-split mobility gap, the Korringa relaxation rate oscillates with the magnetic field resembling the oscillations of the resistivity in such systems. Our calculation offers a method of investigating the dynamics of a magnetic ion such as Mn in a 2DEG and provide new information on the exchange parameter as well as information about the 2D electrons themselves. q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.