The objective of this research is to develop the working prototype of an all-electric, ballistic Datta-Das spinFET (Spin Field Effect Transistor) and measure its quasi-static and transient characteristics at low temperature (4.2K). Modifications to the device structure will also be studied to extend its temperature of operation to 77K and above. We expect the "discrete" device to have high frequency response and very low power dissipation. The approach is to use all-electric Stern-Gerlach spin injectors and detectors instead of the conventional ferromagnetic contacts to develop the spinFET.
Intellectual merit: The Datta-Das spinFET has captured the attention of the spintronics community ever since it was proposed in 1989. However, despite years of intense efforts worldwide, practical implementation of this device has not been possible. The all-electrical approach used here for the first time for spin injection, spin manipulation, and spin detection would be a breakthrough in the field of spintronics, offering the potential realization of the basic components for practical circuits and architectures for future VLSI applications.
Broader impact: In the long term spinFETs operating at ambient temperature can have potential applications as multi-level storage cells in future generation of Magnetic Random Access Memories (MRAMs) and also as sensing elements. The project is also likely to produce the first simulator based on non-equilibrium Green function to model spin transport in nanoscale transistors that will be available to the scientific community at large. This project will specifically expose undergraduate students to cutting edge device physics research on the nanoscale.
