Spin technologies
This course details how we can take advantage of the spin degree of freedom of conducting particles in solids for new device electronic properties realization. This research field originates from spin–dependent scattering in magnetic materials, and took–off in the early 80’s, owing to the technical progress in thin films fabrication. Closely related to magnetism, it has important applications in the field of information technology, with increasing technological relevance for miniaturization and low power purposes.
In this course, we will first identify the physical origins of the possible spin polarization properties of materials and interfaces, and then explain the basic historical illustrations of
these concepts. In a next section, we introduce the concepts of spin currents and spin
relaxation, opening ways to generate, manipulate, and detect spins of particles transporting the electric signals. The last section of the course put emphasis on new materials capable of transporting spin information (organics, 2D materials), as well as more recent and on–going research developments (non–magnetic materials, spin orbitronics, …).
The course is strongly based on experimental findings and discussions, keeping the
theoretical descriptions to the most simplistic models.