EN
We present first-principles studies of the zero field spin splitting of conduction band in [110] strained GaAs that determine spin lifetimes in semiconductors. Our calculations reveal strong anisotropy of the linear-k spin splitting in the (110) plane of the Brillouin zone and very minor in the (001) plane. This provides a qualitative understanding of the difference in the spin lifetimes in the GaAs/AlAs heterostructures grown along [100] and [110] crystallographic directions.