Spin Electronics Group

Even if the power needs for all U.S. data centers can be met, the inherent constraints of semiconductor electronics will still impose scaling and clock-rate limits on future processing capacity at a time when the digital information is increasing exponentially. Electron-spin torque may be used to switch future, nonvolatile, magnetic memory elements. Compared to switching memory bits with magnetic fields, this method would offer higher speed, greater reliability, lower power, and would be scalable to smaller device dimensions. Such approaches are also compatible at cryogenic temperatures enabling use in quantum computation technologies. The Spin Electronics Group investigates theoretical and experimental aspects of the relationship among spin and thermal transport, interfacial structure and the transfer of spin angular momentum in devices and across interfaces. This is accomplished through the development of novel high-frequency and optical measurement capabilities coupled with comprehensive materials characterization and development.