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Spintronics
The technology underpinning the present electronics industries is based on the control of mobile electrons sensed by their electric charge. The emerging field of spin-polarised sensors has shown that exploiting the mobile electrons’ spin can improve the speed and functionality of electronic products. Industrial Research is researching half-metals, Heussler intermetallics and ferromagnetic semiconductors that can potentially display nearly complete electronic spin polarisation at room temperature.
Advanced spin-polarised magnetic sensors (NERF[?])
We are researching a group of compounds that are believed to show a high degree of electronic spin polarisation. These include half-metals where only “spin-up” or “spin-down” electrons are mobile. The diagram below shows the difference between a normal metal, a ferromagnetic metal and a half metal.
Representation of the electronic density of “spin up” and “spin down” states in a normal metal, a ferromagnetic metal, and a 100% electronic spin-polarised half metal. N(E) is the number of spin states per unit volume and per unit energy, E. EF is the Fermi energy.
Materials that show electronic spin polarisation can lead to a new technology based on the transport of the electron's spin, known as spin transport electronics or spintronics. The potentially new devices include ultra-sensitive magnetic field sensors, non-volatile and fast RAM, spin field effect transistors, spin resonant tunnelling devices, broadband microwave transmitters, and ultra-fast optical switches. In this programme we are focusing on new materials for advanced spin-polarised magnetic sensors. The crystal structure of one of the compounds we are studying is shown below.
Double perovskite crystal structure
The research team includes physicists and chemists at IRL as well as physicists at Victoria University, Canterbury University, and at international institutions.
Spintronics device concepts based on rare-earth nitrides (NERF)
The aim of this Victoria University-led programme is to develop new devices that take advantage of the transport of an electron's spin as well as its charge. The objectives include developing cryogenic magnetic field sensors based on rare-earth nitrides, developing electronic spin injection prototypes that are required for the development of new spintronics devices, and spintronic RAM and spin diodes and transistors. The research team includes physicists at Victoria University, IRL and Massey University.
Strongly correlated electrons in rare-earth nitrides (New Zealand Marsden Fund)
The aim of this Victoria University-led programme is to fully understand the electronic and magnetic properties of rare earth nitride compounds. These compounds can potentially show a high degree of electronic spin polarisation and hence might be useful in future spintronics applications. The research team includes physicists at Victoria University, IRL and Massey University.