All-electric all-semiconductor spin field-effect transistors.
Nat Nanotechnol
; 10(1): 35-9, 2015 Jan.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25531088
ABSTRACT
The spin field-effect transistor envisioned by Datta and Das opens a gateway to spin information processing. Although the coherent manipulation of electron spins in semiconductors is now possible, the realization of a functional spin field-effect transistor for information processing has yet to be achieved, owing to several fundamental challenges such as the low spin-injection efficiency due to resistance mismatch, spin relaxation and the spread of spin precession angles. Alternative spin transistor designs have therefore been proposed, but these differ from the field-effect transistor concept and require the use of optical or magnetic elements, which pose difficulties for incorporation into integrated circuits. Here, we present an all-electric and all-semiconductor spin field-effect transistor in which these obstacles are overcome by using two quantum point contacts as spin injectors and detectors. Distinct engineering architectures of spin-orbit coupling are exploited for the quantum point contacts and the central semiconductor channel to achieve complete control of the electron spins (spin injection, manipulation and detection) in a purely electrical manner. Such a device is compatible with large-scale integration and holds promise for future spintronic devices for information processing.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Language:
En
Journal:
Nat Nanotechnol
Year:
2015
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Taiwan
Publication country:
ENGLAND
/
ESCOCIA
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GB
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GREAT BRITAIN
/
INGLATERRA
/
REINO UNIDO
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SCOTLAND
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UK
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UNITED KINGDOM