  We investigate systematically how the interplay between Rashba spin-orbit
interaction and Zeeman coupling affects the electron transport and the spin
dynamics in InGaAs-based 2D electron gases. From the quantitative analysis of
the magnetoconductance, measured in the presence of an in-plane magnetic field,
we conclude that this interplay results in a spin-induced breaking of time
reversal symmetry and in an enhancement of the spin relaxation time. Both
effects, due to a partial alignment of the electron spin along the applied
magnetic field, are found to be in excellent agreement with recent theoretical
predictions.
