Dominant channels of exciton spin relaxation in photoexcited self-assembled (In,Ga)As quantum dots

We present a comprehensive theoretical investigation of spin relaxation processes of excitons in photoexcited self-assembled quantum dots. The exciton spin relaxations are considered between dark- and bright-exciton states via the channels created by various spin-admixture mechanisms, including electron Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbital couplings (SOCs), hole linear and hole cubic SOCs, and electron hyperfine interactions, incorporated with single- and double-phonon processes. The hole-Dresselhaus SOC is identified as the dominant spin-admixture mechanism, leading to relaxation rates as fast as ∼10 ^-2 ns^-1, consistent with recent observations. Moreover, due to significant electron-hole exchange interactions, single-phonon processes are unusually dominant over two-phonon ones in a photoexcited dot even at temperatures as high as 15K.