TOPOLOGICAL INSULATORS AS EFFICIENT ROOM-TEMPERATURE SOURCES OF SPIN-TRANSFER TORQUE FOR NON-VOLATILE MAGNETIC

Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract Recent discoveries indicate that the Rashba-Edelstein effect within the topological surface state of 3-dimensional topological insulator films can produce a current-induced torque on an adjacent magnetic device at room temperature that is at least a factor of ten more efficient than any other known mechanism for controlling magnetic devices. This proposal seeks to understand and optimize this effect, and to apply it to develop nonvolatile magnetic logic devices operating at levels of current and power reduced by orders of magnitude compared to the capabilities of existing technologies. Specifically, the proposed research will: (1) Determine how to optimize the topological-insulator material and the carrier Fermi level to maximize the efficiency of the spin torque that is generated. (2) Determine the best way to integrate a high-resistivity magnetic material with a high-quality topological-insulator thin film for efficient magnetic manipulation at room temperature. (3) Begin the development of nonvolatile logic devices based on (topological insulator)/(high-resistivity magnet) bilayers.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Aug 08, 2016
Source ID
N000141512371

Entities

People

  • Daniel C. Ralph

Organizations

  • Cornell University
  • Office of Naval Research
  • United States Navy

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Distributed Systems and Data Platform Development
  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Superconducting Magnet Technology

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Graphene