Spintronics

The field of spintronics deals with the manipulation of both the spin and electronic degrees of freedom in novel devices. In addition to the obvious technological applications,many new basic physical phenomena have been, and still are observed in this new field. By constructing nano-size devices of hybrid magnetic/non-magnetic origin, we can tap into the spin properties, before these effects average out (on a longer length scale).

We have recently measured the effect of copper channel thickness on the spin diffusion length, and spin injection efficiency. By modeling the spin injection to a diffusion model we find there is an enhanced spin scattering from the ferromagnetic/non-magnetic interface.

MOLYBDENUM DISULFIDE (MOS2)

The remarkable properties of graphene have renewed interest in inorganic, two-dimensional (2D) materials with unique electronic and optical attributes. 2D materials are a new class of materials with interesting physical properties and applications ranging from nanoelectronics to sensing and photonics. In addition to graphene, 2D materials are new class of materials with interesting physical properties and applications ranging from nanoelectronics to sensing and photonics. The most studied 2D material, monolayers of other layered materials such as semiconducting MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, WSe2 dichalcogenides are gaining an importance as promising channel materials for field-effect transistors (FETs), nanoelectronics and spintronics.

The presence of a direct band gap in monolayer MoS2 due to quantum-mechanical confinement allows room-temperature FETs with an on/off ratio exceeding 10^8. The presence of high-k dielectrics in these devices enhanced their mobility. For instance, large spin-orbit coupling and spin splitting in the valence band of single layer MoS2, could lead to enhanced spin lifetimes and large spin Hall angles, but the mechanisms are not well understood. Understanding the nature of the contacts and the polarized spin injection is a critical first step for realizing spin transport in ultra-thin sheets of MoS2. Here we investigate devices based on Py contacts with Au capping on top which was deposited on top of a singlefew layers MoS2.

Also, we developed a room temperature process for fabrication of Multi-layered Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy (PMA) electrodes for Lateral Spin Valves (LSVs) from bulk down to the nano-scale which can be implemented on an industrial scale.