We consider the subband dispersions and the spin relaxation times for holes in semiconductor heterostructures without a common atom. We show that the interface asymmetry in such structures leads to a breaking of the parity degeneracy of the Luttinger dispersions. We calculate that the resulting spin splitting induces a D’yakonov-Perel’ spin relaxation mechanism that can be up to five orders of magnitude faster than the one considered hitherto.

• Received 14 July 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.56.R12744