Researchers develop novel way to transport spin currents
Spintronics relies on the transport of spin currents for computing and communication applications. New device designs would be possible if this spin transport could be carried out by both electrons and magnetic waves called magnons. But spin transport via magnons typically requires electrically insulating magnets—materials that cannot be easily integrated with silicon electronics. Recently, a novel way to bypass that requirement has been developed by researchers at ETH Zürich, Bavarian Academy of Sciences, Technical University of Munich, University of Konstanz, Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST) and Autonomous University of Madrid.
The researchers say that this finding could have important implications for both spintronic applications and fundamental research on spin transport. To demonstrate their concept, the scientists placed two magnetic, metallic strips—each hosting coupled electrons and magnons—on a nonmagnetic, insulating substrate. In the first strip, the researchers converted electron charge currents to electron spin currents. These spin currents were transferred first to the magnons in the same strip, then across the substrate to the magnons in the second strip, and finally to the electrons in the second strip. The researchers detected this spin transport by converting the electron spin currents in the second strip to charge currents.