NIU Physics Professor Roland Winkler and former Ph.D. student Voltaire Teodorescu propose a novel way of manipulating electron spins in a prestigious “Rapid Communication” published recently in the journal Physical Review B.
Spintronics, also known as spin electronics, is an emerging technology that looks to develop devices that exploit the quirky world of quantum physics, or physics at the incredibly small atomic level, particularly the up-or-down spin property of electrons. Conventional electronics utilize the charge of the electron. Spintronic devices would utilize both the spin and charge, achieving new functionality.
The researchers make the theoretical case for manipulation of electron spins via reflection off a barrier in the presence of spin-orbit coupling. This mechanism is of fundamental importance for the transport of electrons in confined geometries. Also, the mechanism provides interesting possibilities for current-driven magnetization dynamics.
“I am particularly proud of this work because it is really a summary of the main findings of Voltaire Teodorescu, who graduated from NIU last year,” Winkler said. “He was a truly exceptional Ph.D. student, and I am happy that his career at NIU culminated in such a prestigious publication.
“Voltaire was the first student in our Ph.D. program doing research in theoretical physics,” Winkler added. “Generally, a higher bar is set in physics programs before a student is allowed to do theoretical research, because these students must have superb physics skills and be able to do difficult calculations on their own.”