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Materials research could pave way for spintronics
Dylan McGrath
10/15/2012 5:07 PM EDT
Promises to revolutionize computing
Spintronic technology promises to revolutionize the computing industry with smaller, faster and more energy efficient data storage and processing. Materials drawing a lot of attention for spintronic applications are dilute magnetic semiconductors—normal semiconductors to which a small amount of magnetic atoms is added to make them ferromagnetic.
According to Berkeley Labs, understanding the source of ferromagnetism in dilute magnetic semiconductors has been a major road-block impeding their further development and use in spintronics.
Alexander Gray (left) and Charles Fadley at Beamline 9.3.1 of Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source where they are now carrying out HARPES experiments.
The researchers' results indicate that the ferromagnetism in dilute magnetic semiconductors stems from both of the prevailing theories about its existence, known as the "p-d exchange model" and the "double exchange model."
"We now have a better fundamental understanding of electronic interactions in dilute magnetic semiconductors that can suggest future materials with different parent semiconductors and different magnetic dopants," Fadley said. "Harpes should provide an important tool for characterizing these future materials."
Related stories:
Spintronic technology promises to revolutionize the computing industry with smaller, faster and more energy efficient data storage and processing. Materials drawing a lot of attention for spintronic applications are dilute magnetic semiconductors—normal semiconductors to which a small amount of magnetic atoms is added to make them ferromagnetic.
According to Berkeley Labs, understanding the source of ferromagnetism in dilute magnetic semiconductors has been a major road-block impeding their further development and use in spintronics.
Alexander Gray (left) and Charles Fadley at Beamline 9.3.1 of Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source where they are now carrying out HARPES experiments.
Credit: Roy Kaltschmidt, Berkeley Lab
The researchers' results indicate that the ferromagnetism in dilute magnetic semiconductors stems from both of the prevailing theories about its existence, known as the "p-d exchange model" and the "double exchange model."
"We now have a better fundamental understanding of electronic interactions in dilute magnetic semiconductors that can suggest future materials with different parent semiconductors and different magnetic dopants," Fadley said. "Harpes should provide an important tool for characterizing these future materials."
Related stories:
- IBM observes spintronic 'waltz'
- Researchers grow semiconductors on graphene
- Researchers report solid-state quantum leaps
- Rare earth supply chain: Industry’s common cause
- Hearing aids given nanotech spin
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