Spintronics/Magnetotronics Used In Circuit Design

[Liam Semeniuk]

Hi guys, haven't really posted here much; but I've read a couple topics. I have been assigned a research topic in my EE class (2ndyear) and I choose to do it on spintronics. I have to write a ten page technical report on my chosen subject. Now, as I am without extensive knowledge of any of the listed topics (of around 50), I chose the one that appealed to me the most. I've done some minor research on it (just a couple google searches to see what it was all about); but was wondering if you could offer any knowledge/references/articles/journals about it; or resources that you use to find technical information without having to preform research labs and experiments yourselves. Thanks for any help you can lend me.

 

[berkeman]

Well, as an EE in industry for a couple years who's never heard of the subject, could you please provide a couple web pointers? Thank you.

 

[NoTime]

It's devices that operate with electron spin.
I've seen a few articals on it.
You may find some additional information under quantum computing and qubit.


I don't think you will find any technical information on this (in the sense of practical application).
It is pretty new as a research area, but some people are claiming functional demo devices.

 

[marcusl]

There is much current research that is highly technical, so the challenge is finding understandable introductory articles. IEEE Spectrum had a descriptive article on spin transistors in Dec. 2001.

More technical is
Spintronics device concepts
Circuits, Devices and Systems, IEE Proceedings [see also IEE Proceedings G- Circuits, Devices and Systems]
Volume 152, Issue 4, 5 Aug. 2005 Page(s):312 - 322
IEE is a British journal but your library can access it. The references contain a few review articles as well.

This should get you started.

 

[Liam Semeniuk]

Thanks for your replies; and for Berkeman; here is a quick summary of some of the information I've found:

All spintronic devices act according to the simple scheme: (1) information is stored (written) into spins as a particular spin orientation (up or down), (2) the spins, being attached to mobile electrons, carry the information along a wire, and (3) the information is read at a terminal. Spin orientation of conduction electrons survives for a relatively long time (nanoseconds, compared to tens of femtoseconds during which electron momentum decays), which makes spintronic devices particularly attractive for memory storage and magnetic sensors applications, and, potentially for quantum computing where electron spin would represent a bit (called qubit) of information.

Scientific American has an article on this which was pretty useful (except that... it seems they've 'doubled' sections in some places...) located at:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=0007A735-759A-1CDD-B4A8809EC588EEDF
It has an overview of what it is, how its being used, problems, and possibilities. But I would like additional sources so that I have lots of information to draw from in order to provide my profs with a distinct unplaigarized perspective.

And... based on technical reports; of which I have written precisely zero; I would like to know how you get started, and what 'point'/'purpose' (or thesis I guess... don't know what you use in technical documents per se) you try to explain in detail to your reader. I've decided that I would show the advantages of this system as opposed to current transistor circuits, and potentially, photonic systems (if I have enough time to research this area as well).

 

[berkeman]

I learn something new every darned day here on the PF. Thanks for the info.

 

[Richard Qiu]

I'm writing a paper about this field. Thank U all