R. S. Patel

Electrical creation of spin polarization in silicon at room temperature

The control and manipulation of the electron spin in semiconductors is central to spintronics, which aims to represent digital information using spin orientation rather than electron charge. Such spin-based technologies may have a profound impact on nanoelectronics, data storage, and logic and computer architectures. Recently it has become possible to induce and detect spin polarization in otherwise non-magnetic semiconductors (gallium arsenide and silicon) using all-electrical structures, but so far only at temperatures below 150 K and in n-type materials, which limits further development. Here we demonstrate room-temperature electrical injection of spin polarization into n-type and p-type silicon from a ferromagnetic tunnel contact, spin manipulation using the Hanle effect and the electrical detection of the induced spin accumulation. A spin splitting as large as 2.9 meV is created in n-type silicon, corresponding to an electron spin polarization of 4.6%. The extracted spin lifetime is greater than 140 ps for conduction electrons in heavily doped n-type silicon at 300 K and greater than 270 ps for holes in heavily doped p-type silicon at the same temperature. The spin diffusion length is greater than 230 nm for electrons and 310 nm for holes in the corresponding materials. These results open the way to the implementation of spin functionality in complementary silicon devices and electronic circuits operating at ambient temperature, and to the exploration of their prospects and the fundamental rules that govern their behaviour.

Tunnel magnetoresistance with atomically thin two- dimensional hexagonal boron nitride barriers

The two-dimensional atomically thin insulator hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) constitutes a new paradigm in tunnel based devices. A large band gap, along with its atomically flat nature without dangling bonds or interface trap states, makes it an ideal candidate for tunnel spin transport in spintronic devices. Here, we demonstrate the tunneling of spin-polarized electrons through large area monolayer h-BN prepared by chemical vapor deposition in magnetic tunnel junctions. In ferromagnet/h-BN/ferromagnet heterostructures fabricated on a chip scale, we show tunnel magnetoresistance at room temperature. Measurements at different bias voltages and on multiple devices with different ferromagnetic electrodes establish the spin polarized tunneling using h-BN barriers. These results open the way for integration of 2D monolayer insulating barriers in active spintronic devices and circuits operating at ambient temperature, and for further exploration of their properties and prospects.

Magnetic tunnel contacts to silicon with low-work-function ytterbium nanolayers

Unambiguous proof of spin transport in semiconductor spintronic devices requires a control experiment to exclude spurious signals that arise from the presence of the ferromagnetic contacts. It is shown here that insertion of a low-work-function Yb nanolayer in ferromagnetic tunnel contacts to silicon allows a selective suppression of the tunnel spin polarization for 2 nm of Yb and simultaneous control of the Schottky barrier height. The insertion of a nonmagnetic nanolayer provides a versatile method to exclude artifacts and a solution for nanoscale devices or other geometries in which the frequently employed Hanle effect cannot be applied and a control experiment did not exist.

Evidence of spin-wave demagnetization in Fe–Cr giant magnetoresistance multilayers

The temperature dependence of the saturation magnetization of Xe ion-beam sputtered Fe–Cr multilayers has been measured between 5 and 300K in the presence of a field greater than the saturation field (Hsat). With the application of Hsat, the zero-field antiferromagnetically coupled ferromagnetic Fe layers are forced to align ferromagnetically. We find that the thermal demagnetization of such magnetically composite structure follows the Bloch formula for spin waves with anharmonic term in the magnon dispersion relation, viz., M(T)=M(0)[1+AT3∕2+BT5∕2]. Comparisons are presented between the multilayers and bulk crystalline Fe.

Spin-Polarized Tunneling through Chemical Vapor Deposited Multilayer Molybdenum Disulfide

The two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has attracted widespread attention for its extraordinary electrical-, optical-, spin-, and valley-related properties. Here, we report on spin-polarized tunneling through chemical vapor deposited multilayer MoS2 (∼7 nm) at room temperature in a vertically fabricated spin-valve device. A tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) of 0.5-2% has been observed, corresponding to spin polarization of 5-10% in the measured temperature range of 300-75 K. First-principles calculations for ideal junctions result in a TMR up to 8% and a spin polarization of 26%. The detailed measurements at different temperature, bias voltages, and density functional theory calculations provide information about spin transport mechanisms in vertical multilayer MoS2 spin-valve devices. These findings form a platform for exploring spin functionalities in 2D semiconductors and understanding the basic phenomena that control their performance.

Magnetic scattering in Fe–Cr multilayers in the ferromagnetic state at low temperatures

We report here an interpretation of the electrical resistivity (ρ) below 15 K of two Fe–Cr multilayers (30 layers of 20 A Fe/10 and 12 A Cr) produced by Xe ion-beam sputter deposition. These multilayers have a negative giant magnetoresistance (GMR) of ∼21% at 4.2 K and Hsat=13 kOe. Very high-resolution resistance measurements (better than 3 ppm) were made down to 2.3 K at every (100±10) mK. Excellent results were obtained when the ρ(T) data in the ferromagnetic state (H=Hsat) were fitted to an equation containing the residual resistivity [ρ(0)], electron–phonon interband s–d scattering (Bloch–Wilson integral) and a magnetic BT2 term, where B is proportional to s–d interaction strength responsible for the electron–magnon s–s scattering. The value of B is found to be typically (9±2)×10−5 μΩ cm K−2 compared to the much smaller value of 1.5×10−5 μΩ cm K−2 for bulk crystalline Fe. The fits without the magnetic term are distinctly inferior as seen from their residuals plotted against T. However, the data in the...

Role of heterostructures and multiple magnetic phases in the low-field magnetization of Fe–Cr giant magnetoresistive multilayers

Zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) magnetizations along with ac magnetization versus temperature and M‐H loop measurements are reported for two series of ion beam sputtered Fe–Cr giant magnetoresistive (GMR) (maximum of 33%) multilayers where the interface roughness is different. The ZFC and FC magnetization data follow different curves below an irreversibility temperature (Tirr). The FC data show a T3∕2 thermal demagnetization behavior at lower temperatures with a very small spin-wave stiffness constant but they go as 1∕T at higher temperatures (above Tirr). The ZFC data show maxima at Tm(H), from which we find the glass transition temperature Tg using the de Almeida and Thouless plot. ac magnetization versus T also shows broad peaks roughly near the same Tg. This behavior is interpreted in terms of the coexistence of spin-glass∕superparamagnetic, FM and AF phases. Most of the above exotic low-field features are absent in molecular beam epitaxy grown Fe–Cr multilayers (GMR >50%) with very smoo...

A study of electron and thermal transport in layered titanium disulphide single crystals

We present a detailed study of thermal and electrical transport behavior of single crystal titanium disulphide flakes, which belong to the two dimensional, transition metal dichalcogenide class of materials. In-plane Seebeck effect measurements revealed a typical metal-like linear temperature dependence in the range of 85-285 K. Electrical transport measurements with in-plane current geometry exhibited a nearly T 2 dependence of resistivity in the range of 42-300 K. However, transport measurements along the out-of-plane current geometry showed a transition in temperature dependence of resistivity from T 2 to T 5 beyond 200 K. Interestingly, Au ion-irradiated TiS2 samples showed a similar T 5 dependence of resistivity beyond 200 K, even in the current-in-plane geometry. Micro-Raman measurements were performed to study the phonon modes in both pristine and ion-irradiated TiS2 crystals.

Electron pair emission from a W(001) surface: photon versus electron excitation

The electron pair emission from a W(001) surface was studied using a coincidence time-of-flight spectrometer. The aim of this study was to compare the pair emission upon electron impact and upon photon absorption. The energy distributions are markedly different for these two experiments. From this we conclude that the photon-stimulated pair emission carries a significant contribution from a double photoemission process, while the process of first creating a photoelectron, which in a subsequent collision leads to pair emission, is of less importance.

Electron and thermal transport via variable range hopping in MoSe2 single crystals

Bulk single crystal molybdenum diselenide has been studied for its electronic and thermal transport properties. We perform resistivity measurements with current in-plane (CIP) and current perpendicular to plane (CPP) as a function of temperature. The CIP measurements exhibit metal to semiconductor transition at ≃31 K. In the semiconducting phase (T > 31 K), the transport is best explained by the variable range hopping (VRH) model. Large magnitude of resistivity in the CPP mode indicates strong structural anisotropy. The Seebeck coefficient as a function of temperature measured in the range of 90–300 K also agrees well with the VRH model. The room temperature Seebeck coefficient is found to be 139 μV/K. VRH fittings of the resistivity and the Seebeck coefficient data indicate high degree of localization.