Spintronics
Spintronics, in contrast to conventional electronics, relies on the charge of electrons. From early transistors to recent supercomputers, electronic devices employ circuits that express data as binary digits—ones and zeroes represented by the existence or absence of electric charge. Each electron, in addition to charge, has its spin, which is responsible for magnetism. This spin property can open up an exciting range of opportunities for devices that would not be feasible or effective with conventional electronics.
UB’s development of spin-based technology would mean smaller, more efficient devices that use less power because magnetic properties can be preserved. One of the key challenges in the field is developing versatile magnetic materials that could operate at room temperature and be suitable for spin logic, not just for storing information as in magnetic hard drives. Spin logic would use an electron’s spin, rather than its charge, to perform complex information processing.
