Combination of two quantum materials achieves unprecedented control over electron spin
image: By placing a magnetic material on top of a topological material, the researchers were able to switch magnetization using very small electrical currents, and without applying an external magnetic field. The interface between the two materials is perfectly smooth and creates an ideal connection without “friction” or defects. This allows spin information to be transferred between the materials without being weakened or disturbed.
Credit: Illustration of the device concept: Chalmers University of Technology / Lalit Pandey
A memory chip based on stacked quantum materials. Spintronics – a technology that harnesses the electron’s magnetic quantum states to carry information – could pave the way for a new generation of ultra-energy-efficient electronics. By combining different quantum materials, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have taken a decisive step forward, achieving unprecedented control over spin phenomena. By placing a magnetic material on top of a topological material, the researchers were able to switch magnetization using very small electrical currents, and without applying an external magnetic field. The interface between the two materials is perfectly smooth and creates an ideal connection without “friction” or defects. This allows spin information to be transferred between the materials without being weakened or disturbed.
“The combination of two quantum materials enables us to control electron spin using only very small electrical currents. It also works at room temperature, which means the method could eventually make data-processing and memory technologies both faster and more energy-efficient. This gives us a new design principle – rather than just searching for new materials, we can build entirely new properties through how we combine materials and break symmetries. This is a clear step towards next-generation spintronics, where we can control spin far more efficiently than before through smart quantum-material design”, says Saroj Dash, Professor of quantum device physics at Chalmers University of Technology and lead author of a study published in Nature Communications.
About the study
The scientific article Tunable unconventional spin orbit torque magnetization dynamics in van der Waals heterostructures has been published in Nature Communications.
The fabrication of devices was performed at Nanofabrication laboratory MyFab at Chalmers University of Technology.
Illustration of the device concept: Chalmers University of Technology / Lalit Pandey
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Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, conducts research and education in technology and natural sciences at a high international level. The university has 3100 employees and 10,000 students, and offers education in engineering, science, shipping and architecture.
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