  We study the lifetime of the persistent spin helix in semiconductor quantum
wells with equal Rashba- and linear Dresselhaus spin-orbit interactions. In
order to address the temperature dependence of the relevant spin relaxation
mechanisms we derive and solve semiclassical spin diffusion equations taking
into account spin-dependent impurity scattering, cubic Dresselhaus spin-orbit
interactions and the effect of electron-electron interactions. For the
experimentally relevant regime we find that the lifetime of the persistent spin
helix is mainly determined by the interplay of cubic Dresselhaus spin-orbit
interaction and electron-electron interactions. We propose that even longer
lifetimes can be achieved by generating a spatially damped spin profile instead
of the persistent spin helix state.
