1.

Introduction

Conventional electronic devices rely on the transport of electrical charge carriers –

electrons in a semiconductor such as silicon. Now, however, physicists are trying to exploit
the ‘spin’ of the electron rather than its charge to create a remarkable new generation of
‘spintronic’ devices which will be smaller, more versatile and more robust than those
currently making up silicon chips and circuit elements.

Imagine a data storage device of the size of an atom working at a speed of light.
Imagine a computer memory thousands of times denser and faster than today’s memories and
also imagine a scanner technique which can detect cancer cells even though they are less in
number. The above-mentioned things can be made possible with the help of an exploding
science – “Spintronics”.

Spintronics is a technology which deals with spin dependent properties of an electron

instead of or in addition to its charge dependent properties. Conventional electronics devices
rely on the transport of electric charge carries-electrons. But there is other dimensions of an
electron other than its charge and mass i.e. spin. This dimension can be exploited to create a
remarkable generation of spintronic devices. It is believed that in the near future spintronics
could be more revolutionary than any other technology.

As there is rapid progress in the miniaturization of semiconductor electronic devices

leads to a chip features smaller than 100 nanometers in size, device engineers and physicists
are inevitable faced with a looming presence of a quantum property of an electron known as
spin, which is closely related to magnetism. Devices that rely on an electron spin to perform
their functions form the foundations of spintronics. Information-processing technology has
thus far relied on purely charge based devices ranging from the now quantum, vacuum tube
today’s million transistor microchips. Those conventional electronic devices move electronic
charges around, ignoring the spin that tags along that side on each electron.

2. Why Spintronics?

Electronics is based on measuring the tiny electrical charge of electrons passing

through electronic circuits. An alternative approach under development is spintronics, which
instead relies not on electrons' charge, but on another of their fundamental quantum-
mechanical properties: spin. Spin can be visualized as the Earth turning on its own axis while
rotating around the sun. In the same way, an electron spins on its own axis while rotating
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around an atom's nucleus. Spin is either "up" or "down". In the same way traditional
electronics uses charge to represent information as zeros and ones, the two spin states can be
used to represent the same binary data in spintronics. Spin can be measured because it
generates tiny magnetic fields. Ferrous metals such as iron become magnetic, for example,
when enough particles have their spin set in the same direction, generating a magnetic
field of the same polarity as the spin. Spintronics has several advantages over conventional
electronics. Electronics require specialized semiconductor materials in order to control the
flow of charge through the transistors. But spin can be measured very simply in common
metals such as copper or aluminum. Less energy is needed to change spin than to generate a
current to maintain electron charges in a device, so spintronics devices use less power.Spin
states can be set quickly, which makes transferring data quicker. And because electron spin is
not energy-dependent, spin is non-volatile – information sent using spin remains fixed even
after loss of power.

Electronic Devices Spintronic devices

Based on properties of charge of the electron Based on intrinsic property spin of electron

Classical property Quantum property

Controlled by an external electric field in

Controlled by external magnetic field
modern electronics

Materials: conductors and semiconductors Materials: ferromagnetic materials

Based on the number of charges and their

Two basic spin states; spin-up and spin-down
energy

Speed is limited and power dissipation is high Based on direction of spin and spin coupling,
high speed

Fig 2.1. Basic resonant-converter configuration

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2.1. History

The electron was discovered way back in 1897 by J. J. Thomson, and the electron
charge was measured with perfection by R. Millikan. The presence of a magnetic moment for
electrons was discovered in the year of 1922, and later on it was also established that the
electron spin is quantized. Wolfgang Pauli formalized the theory of spin in 1927 by using the
basic foundations of quantum mechanics. He pioneered the description of the spin state by
introducing the so-called Pauli matrices. A study on spin polarized tunneling on
ferromagnetic/insulator/superconducting aluminum junctions was made. This showed the
conservation of the spin in electron tunneling, and gave rise to the possibility of spin sensitive
tunneling between two ferromagnetic films. Later Mikhail D’yakonov and Vladimir Perel’
predicted the spin Hall Effect in 1971 - a spin flow perpendicular to the current flow
direction. Subsequently, the first experimental confirmation of the prediction was made.
Julliere in 1975 discovered an increase in resistance (10 % at 4.2 K), when the magnetic
layers in a Fe/Ge/Co stack were switched from the parallel to the anti parallel configuration
(the first experiment on tunnel magneto-resistance TMR). The proposal for the idea that the
spin-polarized current can be injected into a semiconductor when a current is passed through
a ferromagnetic/semiconductor junction was made in 1976. However, it took until the 1980’s
for the process technology to be able to fabricate multi-layered devices with each layer
thickness in the range of nanometers. The Physics Nobel Prize in 2007 was given to Peter
Grünberg and Albert Fert for the discovery of the giant magneto resistance (GMR) in
ferromagnetic thin film multi-layers, which showed the general agreement on the importance
of Spintronics. Invention of GMR was the main breakthrough in the field of Spintronics.
1997 first GMR (Giant Magneto resistive) Hard disk head was introduced by IBM.

3. Basic Principle

The The basic principle involved is the usage of spin of the electron in addition to
mass and charge of electron. Electrons like all fundamental particles have a property called
spin which can be orientated in one direction or called ‘spin-up’ or ‘spin-down’ –like a top
spinning anticlockwise or clockwise . Every electron exists in one of two states, namely,
spin-up and spin-down with its spin either +1/2 or –1/2. In other words, an electron can rotate
either clockwise or counterclockwise around its own axis with constant frequency. Spin is the
root cause of magnetism and is a kind of intrinsic angular momentum that a particle cannot
gain or lose. The two possible spin states naturally represent ‘0’and ‘1’in logical operations.
Spin is the characteristics that makes the electron a tiny magnet complete with north and
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south poles .The orientation of the tiny magnet ‘s north-south poles depends on the particle’s
spin.
Fundamentals of spin:

1. Power In addition to their mass, electrons have an intrinsic quantity of angular

momentum called spin, almost of if they were tiny spinning balls.
2. The Associated with the spin is magnetic field like that of a tiny bar magnet lined
up with the spin axis
3. Scientists represent the spin with a vector. For a sphere spinning “west to east”, the
vector points “north” or “up”. It points “south” or “down” for the spin from “east to west”.

Fig 3.1 Generalized spin of electron

4. In a magnetic field, electrons with “spin up” and “spin down” have different
energies.

5. In an ordinary electronic circuit the spins are oriented at random and have no effect
on current flow.
6. Spintronic devices create spin-polarized currents and use the spin to control current
flow.

3.1 Giant magneto resistance

Magnetism is the integral part of the present day’s data storage techniques.
Right from the Gramophone disks to the hard disks of the super computer magnetism plays
an important role. Data is recorded and stored as tiny areas of magnetized iron or chromium
oxide. To access the information, a read head detects the minute changes in magnetic field as
the disk spins underneath it. In this way the read heads detect the data and send it to the
various succeeding circuits.

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 a. Opposite direction spin b. Unidirectional spin

Fig.3.2 Different types of magneto resistances

The effect is observed as a significant change in the electrical resistance depending on

whether the magnetization of adjacent ferromagnetic layers is in a parallel or an anti-
parallel alignment. The overall resistance is relatively low for parallel alignment and
relatively high for anti-parallel alignment

The magneto resistant devices can sense the changes in the magnetic field only to a
small extent, which is appropriate to the existing memory devices. When we reduce the size
and increase data storage density, we reduce the bits, so our sensor also has to be small and
maintain very, very high sensitivity. The thought gave rise to the powerful effect called
“Giant Magneto resistance” (GMR). GMR is a quantum mechanical magneto
resistance effect observed in thin film structures composed of alternating ferromagnetic and
non magnetic layers. The 2007 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to Albert Fert and Peter
Grünberg for the discovery of GMR.

Giant magneto resistance (GMR) came into picture in 1988, which lead the rise of
spintronics. It results from subtle electron-spin effects in ultra-thin ‘multilayer’ of magnetic
materials, which cause huge changes in their electrical resistance when a magnetic field is
applied. GMR is 200 times stronger than ordinary magneto resistance. It was soon realized
that read heads incorporating GMR materials would be able to sense much smaller magnetic
fields, allowing the storage capacity of a hard disk to increase from 1 to 20 gigabits.

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3.2 Working of GMR

The basic GMR device consists of a three-layer sandwich of a magnetic metal such as
cobalt with a nonmagnetic metal filling such as silver. Current passes through the layers
consisting of spin-up and spin-down electrons. Those oriented in the same direction as the
electron spins in a magnetic layer pass through quite easily while those oriented in the
opposite direction are scattered. If the orientation of one of the magnetic layers can easily be
changed by the presence of a magnetic field then the device will act as a filter, or ‘spin
valve’, letting through more electrons when the spin orientations in the two layers are the
same and fewer when orientations are oppositely aligned. The electrical resistance of the
device can therefore be changed dramatically. In an ordinary electric current, the spin points
at random and plays no role in determining the resistance of a wire or the amplification of a
transistor circuit. Spintronic devicesin contrast, rely on differences in the transport of “spin
up” and “spin down” electrons. When a current passes through the Ferro magnet, electrons
of one spin direction tend to be obstructed.

A ferromagnet can even affect the flow of a current in a nearby nonmagnetic metal.
For example, in the present-day read heads in computer hard drives, wherein a layer of a
nonmagnetic metal is sandwiched between two ferromagnetic metallic layers, the
magnetization of the first layer is fixed, or pinned, but the second ferromagnetic layer is not.
As the read head travels along a track of data on a computer disk, the small magnetic fields of
the recorded 1’s and 0`s change the second layer’s magnetization back and forth parallel or
anti parallel to the magnetization of the pinned layer. In the parallel case, only electrons that
are oriented in the favored direction flow through the conductor easily. In the anti parallel
case, all electrons are impeded. The resulting changes in the current allow GMR read heads
to detect weaker fields than their predecessors; so that data can be stored using more tightly
packaged magnetized spots on a disk. Below is the graph plotted between resistance and
magnetic field by Albertt Fert.

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 Fig 3.3. Behaviour of resistance for different magnetic fields

4. Magnetic Tunnel Junction

Two ferromagnetic materials are separated by a extremely thin non conducting

barrier. The thickness of the insulator is nearly 2.5nm (8 electrons). Magnetic tunnel junction
is a three-layered device having a thin insulating layer between two metallic ferromagnets.
Current flows through the device by the process of quantum tunneling; a small number of
electrons manage to jump through the barrier even though they are forbidden to be in the
insulator. The tunneling current is obstructed when the two ferromagnetic layers have
opposite orientations and is allowed when their orientations are the same

Fig.4.1 Typical Magnetic Tunnel Junction

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 If the orientations of the electrons of two layers are in the same direction then the
resistance offered will be less. If the orientations of the elecrtrons of the two layers are
opposite direction then resistance will be higher. If the resistance is high then it’s considered
as logic ‘1’ and if the resistance is less then it is considered as logic ‘0’. This resistance is
called as Tunnel Magneto Resistance (TMR)

4.1 Working
In real time applications MTJ is not directly used. It’s a part of a device. It acts as a
storage medium. Usually MTJ is attached to a heavy metal which is made up of tungsten,
palladium. There will be a read line and write line which is separated by very few nanometers
to the MTJ .In the below figure the alignment of spins of the pinned layer and free layer is
same. So the Magnetic Tunnel Resistance will be less. The other supporting components will
be used to read out the data so as to determine the stored bit is ‘0’ or ‘1’

Fig 4.2 MTJ with logical ‘0’ value

A current pulse is given to the heavy metal which is connected to the write line. Due
to spin orbit torque, the current pulse can change the orientation of the electrons of the free
layer. Below shows the MTJ which is having opposite spin in the free layer. The orientation

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of the pinned layer is stay. Only the orientation of the free layer is changed. In the below
diagram the spins are in the opposite direction. Tunnel magneto resistance will be higher.

Fig 4.3 MTJ with logical ‘1’ value

The switching method here is “Spin Orbital Torque-Induced Switching”. It is an

effect in which the orientation of a magnetic layer in a magnetic tunnel junction or spin
valve can be modified using a spin-polarized current. Charge carriers (such as electrons) have
a property known as spin which is a small quantity of angular momentum intrinsic to the
carrier. An electric current is generally unpolarized (consisting of 50% spin-up and 50% spin-
down electrons); a spin polarized current is one with more electrons of either spin.

By passing a current through a thick magnetic layer (usually called the “fixed layer”),
one can produce a spin-polarized current. If this spin-polarized current is directed into a
second, thinner magnetic layer (“free layer”), angular momentum can be transferred to this
layer, changing its orientation. This can be used to excite oscillations or even flip the
orientation of the magnet. The effects are usually only seen in nanometer scale devices.

5. Applications

5.1 MRAM

An important spintronic device, which is supposed to be one of the first spintronic

devices that have been invented, is MRAM. Unlike conventional random-access, MRAMs do
not lose stored information once the power is turned off. MRAM is based on integration of
magnetic tunnel junction (MJT). Magnetic tunnel junction is a three-layered device having a
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thin insulating layer between two metallic ferromagnets. Current flows through the device by
the process of tunneling; a small number of electrons manage to jump through the barrier
even though they are forbidden to be in the insulator. The tunneling current is obstructed
when the two ferromagnetic layers have opposite orientations and is allowed when their
orientations are the same. MRAM stores bits as magnetic polarities rather than electric
charges. When a big polarity points in one direction it holds1, when its polarity points in
other direction it holds 0. These bits need electricity to change the direction but not to
maintain them. MRAM is non volatile so, when you turn your computer off all the bits retain
their 1`s and 0`s.

Fig 5.1. Cross Sectional view of MRAM

Bit line and word line are used to write the data to the MTJ. To read the data in the
MTJ, gate of the transistor is turned ON. Now the Current will flow from drain to the Source,
and through the MTJ. Depending upon the Tunnel Magnetic Resistance, the output current
will be high or low.

5.2 QUANTUM COMPUTER

A quantum computer is a device for computation that makes direct use of quantum
mechanical phenomena, such as superposition and entanglement, to perform operations
on data. Quantum computers are different from traditional computers based on transistors.
The basic principle behind quantum computation is that quantum properties can be used to

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represent data and perform operations on these data. A theoretical model is the quantum
Turing machine, also known as the universal quantum computer.

Although quantum computing is still in its infancy, experiments have been carried out
in which quantum computational operations were executed on a very small number
of qubits (quantum bits). Both practical and theoretical research continues, and many national
government and military funding agencies support quantum computing research to develop
quantum computers for both civilian and national security purposes.

If large-scale quantum computers can be built, they will be able to solve certain
problems much faster than any current classical computers. All problems solvable with a
quantum computer can also be solved using a traditional computer given enough time and
resources.

5.3 SPINTRONIC SCANNER

Cancer cells are the somatic cells which are grown into abnormal size. The Cancer
cells have different electromagnetic sample when compared to normal cells. For many types
of Cancer, it is easier to treat and cure the Cancer if it is found early. There are many
different types of Cancer, but most Cancers begin with abnormal cells growing out of control,
forming a lump that's called a tumor. The tumor can continue to grow until the Cancer begins
to spread to other parts of the body. If the tumor is found when it is still very small, curing
the Cancer can be easy. However, the longer the tumor goes unnoticed, the greater the chance
that the Cancer has spread. This makes treatment more difficult. Tumor developed in human
body, is removed by performing a surgery. Even if a single cell is present after the surgery, it
would again develop into a tumor. In order to prevent this, an efficient route for detecting
the Cancer cells is required. Here, in this paper, we introduce a new route for detecting the
Cancer cells after a surgery. This accurate detection of the existence of Cancer cells at the
beginning stage itself entertains the prevention of further development of the tumor.

6. Conclusion

This paper presents a detailed study of the Three terminal spintronic devices
for IC. The evolution of the spintronics and the advancement in this field are discussed. It’s
found that in future it can re-write all the fundamental lows of electronics. This paper also
presents a brief insight into the applications of Spintronics. With the help of Nanotechnology
and the nano scale devices which automatically brings spintronic to function. Thus,

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Spintronics can create a revolution in the future. Spin of the electron will dominate the 21th
century as the flow of electron was dominated in the 20thcentury. Some of the devices like
MRAM are being used in the present world.

7. References

[1] Magnetization switching by spin-orbit torque in a ferromagnetic bilayer system

Samik Gupta and Hideo ohno
[2] Origin, development and future of spintronics by Albert Fert
[3] Magnetic Tunnel Junctions from Encyclopedia of Materials
[4] Magnetic Tunnel Junction by Jian-Gang and Chando Data Storage Systems
Melon University

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