MgO-based tunnel spin injectors
US7274080B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 19, 2004 |
| Grant date | Sep 25, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 4, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/933
Abstract
A MgO tunnel barrier is sandwiched between semiconductor material on one side and a ferri- and/or ferromagnetic material on the other side to form a spintronic element. The semiconductor material may include GaAs, for example. The spintronic element may be used as a spin injection device by injecting charge carriers from the magnetic material into the MgO tunnel barrier and then into the semiconductor. Similarly, the spintronic element may be used as a detector or analyzer of spin-polarized charge carriers by flowing charge carriers from the surface of the semiconducting layer through the MgO tunnel barrier and into the (ferri- or ferro-) magnetic material, which then acts as a detector. The MgO tunnel barrier is preferably formed by forming a Mg layer on an underlayer (e.g., a ferromagnetic layer), and then directing additional Mg, in the presence of oxygen, towards the underlayer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.