Spin-orbit coupling mediated tunable electron heat capacity of quantum wells.

The heat capacity of conduction electrons obtained from the Sommerfeld expansion is shown to be tunable via the Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling parameters. Using AlInSb/InSb/AlInSb as a representative heterostructure with alterable well and asymmetric barrier regions, the heat capacity is higher for the spin-down electrons and suffers a reduction for wider wells. A further lowering is obtained through the application of a uniaxial strain. Finally, we suggest a method to determine the spin lifetimes for spin relaxing via the D'yakonov-Perel' mechanism from experimental estimates of thermodynamic potentials such as the Helmholtz free energy and the heat capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]