spintronics tagged posts

This is a schematic illustration of the lattice and magnetic structures for EuMnBi2 at zero field, together with the formal valence of each ion. The arrangement of the Mn sublattice is assumed to be the same as in SrMnBi2. Credit: Hideaki Sakai

This achievement will lead to a new field of study, strong correlated quantum transport of Dirac electrons, and become an innovation in realizing super high speed spintronics, the foundation of high-speed and energy-saving electronics.

A/Prof Hideaki Sakai at Osaka University and A/Prof Shintaro Ishiwata, Hidetoshi MASUDA (Grad Student) at Uni of Tokyo succeeded in the synthesis of high-quality single crystals of EuMnBi2, a layered compound which is thought to have both properties of Dirac fermions and magnets, using flux growth in a high vacuum...

This illustration shows the flow of a magnetic property of electrons known as spin current from a magnetic material (blue), to a nonmagnetic material (red). Credit: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

The result, which revealed a surprising loss of current along the way, is an important step toward realizing next-gen “Spintronics”. Spin current is an inherent magnetic property common to all electrons – as it travels across materials. Modern computing relies on the precise control of electric charges that zip around from component to component in labyrinth-like channels in semiconductors. Spintronics could change that by tapping electrons’ spin, with “up” or “down” orientation, rather than their charge.

Finding a way to directly control this up or down property would rule out the need to f...

The magnetic moments of the three organic molecules and the cobalt surface align very stably relative to each other.
Credit: M. Gruber, KIT

A thin layer of organic molecules can stabilize the magnetic orientation of a cobalt surface. “This special interaction between organic molecules and metal surfaces could help to manufacture information storage systems in a more simple, flexible and cheaper way,” explains Wulf Wulfhekel from KIT. Microscopic magnets with constant orientation are used in hard disks, for example. With a view to “printable electronics,” organic molecules indeed could open up new simple production methods utilizing the self-organization of molecules.

METHOD: 3 molecular layers of the dye phtalocynine were applied to the surface of ferromagnetic cobalt...