Spintronics is a field of physics that studies the spin of electrons, an intrinsic type of magnetism that many elementary particles have. The field of spintronics has given rise to technological concepts of "spintronic devices", which would run on electron spins, rather than their charge, used by traditional electronics.

In order to build programmable spintronic devices we first need to be able to manipulate spins in certain materials. So far, this has been done with magnetic fields, which are not easy to integrate into everyday applications.

In a new set of experiments, an international team of physicists led by Hugo Dil at EPFL have now demonstrated the ability to control what they call "the spin landscape" using electric fields. They accomplished this in a new class of materials based on germanium telluride (GeTe), which is the simplest ferroelectric material operating at room temperature.

The scientists used a technique called spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (SARPES), which can measure the spin of electrons, and has been perfected by Dil's lab. By combining SARPES with the possibility to apply an electric field, the physicists demonstrate electrostatic spin manipulation in ferroelectric a-GeTe and multiferroic (GeMn)Te.

In addition, the scientists were able to follow the spins' switching pathway in detail. In (GeMn)Te, the perpendicular spin component switches due to electric-field-induced magnetization reversal. This provides firm evidence of magneto-electric coupling, which opens up the possibility of programmable semiconductor based spintronics.

"Our previous work showed that magnetic fields can control spins in these materials," says Dil. "And now we've shown that spin manipulation is also possible using electric fields. Our experimental findings open up a promising path to only use electric fields in a spintronics device, strongly reducing the energy consumption."

Research Report: Imaging of all-electric spin texture manipulation in ferroelectric and multiferroic

Related Links
Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
Computer Chip Architecture, Technology and Manufacture
Nano Technology News From SpaceMart.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Designer materials with completely random structures might enable quantum computing
Helsinki, Finland (SPX) Jun 18, 2018
Topological randomness may be the answer for lossless electronics and making the nuts and bolts of quantum computers. Complete randomness in the structures of superconductors and insulators could lower the requirements of pristine crystalline ordering - and make them more accessible to industry. Designing quantum materials with exotic and unprecedented electrical properties has the field of physics teeming with buzz. Researchers at Aalto University in Finland have now introduced a significan ... read more