Spin Valve Transistor

SPIN VALVE
TRANSISTOR
WHAT IS
SPINTRONICS?
Spintronics also known as magneto electronics,

manipulates the electron spin and resulting
magnetic moment, to achieve improved
functionalities e.g. Spin transistors, memories etc.
SPIN
CURRENT
The charge is the origin of
electricity, and its flow
leads to an electric
(charge) current.
On the other hand, the
spin gives rise to
magnetism and its flow is
called spin current.
Spin current can also be
generated by producing a
temperature gradient in a
magnetic insulator.
The thermally induced
spin current is converted
to an electric current via
the inverse spin Hall
effect in an attached
metal.
Using magnetization dynamics induced
by ferromagnetic resonance researchers
have succeeded in injecting spin
currents into semiconductors with a
very high efficiency (103 times larger
than before)
HOW IT ALL BEGAN??
Spintronics came into light by the advent of

Giant Magneto Resistance (GMR) in 1988.
In 1988, the giant magneto resistance (GMR)

effect was discovered in multilayer structures that
contain layers of ferromagnetic metals separated
by a thin spacer of normal metal.
The Nobel Prize for physics in 2007 was awarded

to the discoverers of Giant Magneto-Resistance, or
GMR for short.
GIANT MAGNETO RESISTANCE
The resistance of such structures depends
greatly on the relative magnetic orientation of
neighbouring magnetic layers, making it
attractive for application in highly sensitive
magnetic field sensors.
PARALLEL CURRENT
• Current runs parallel between the
ferromagnetic layers.
• Most commonly used in magnetic read
heads.
• Has shown 200% resistance difference
between zero point and antiparallel
states.
PERPENDICULAR CURRENT
One FM layer as spin polarizer and other as detector.
Has shown 70% resistance difference between zero point

and antiparallel states.
Basis for Tunneling Magneto Resistance.

SOME MORE SPINTRONIC DEVICES
Tunnel Magneto Resistance (TMR)
Magnetic Tunnel Junctions (MTJ)
Spin Valve
Spin Transfer Torque (STT)

NEED TO MERGE SPINTRONICS WITH
SEMICONDUCTOR ELECTRONICS??
Semiconductors allow
•Precise tuning of carrier
concentrations
•Band gap engineering, and,
interestingly,
•Exhibit extremely long electron
spin lifetimes.
HOW SEMICONDUCTOR CAN BE COMBINED WITH
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS ?
1. HYBRID SYSTEM
An array of
magnetic
The drawback
memory
lies in the fact
The most elements is
that it does not
straightforward placed on top of
utilises the
approach is the semiconductor
unique property
one employed in wafer containing
of semiconductor
MRAM transistors and
in manipulating
other circuitry
spin.
required to drive
the memory.
2. MAGNETIC
SEMICONDUCTORS
The most intimate form of

integration is to put Such materials can be
magnetic properties into obtained by doping with
semiconductor materials, a certain amount of
thus creating magnetic atoms, as in
ferromagnetic case of GaMnAs.
semiconductors.
3. HYBRID DEVICES
The hunt is now on for compounds that exhibit both

semiconducting and ferromagnetic properties at
temperatures well above room temperature.
As seen above clearly magnetic film layer is grown

over silicon substrate and a silicon layer above it.
Two main categories will
be distinguished, based on
whether the control and
manipulation of the spins
occurs in the --
ferromagnetic
material
or
semiconductor
material
In the first category, electron spins that originate from a
ferromagnetic source material are injected into a semiconductor, in
which they are transported and manipulated, followed by some
means of spin detection at the ‘other end’ of the device.
The implementation into working devices that operate at room

temperature remains to be demonstrated.
For the second class of hybrid devices, where a device concept has
been successfully demonstrated by Monsma et al with the
introduction of the spin-valve transistor (SVT) in 1995, and
The subsequent observation of huge magnetic response at room

temperature a few years later.
WHAT IS SPIN VALVE TRANSISTOR?
The SVT was introduced in 1995 and is the first working hybrid
device in which Ferro magnets and semiconductors have been
closely integrated, and both materials are essential in controlling
the electrical transport through the device.
Spin transistors would allow control of the spin current in the

same manner that conventional transistors can switch charge
currents.
Consists of a silicon emitter, a magnetic multi-layer as the base and

a silicon collector.
SVT is a hot electron device.

DEVICE CHARACTERISTICS
Figure 2. Basic layout of the SVT, showing the three terminal

arrangement with semiconductor emitter (top), semiconductor
collector (bottom), and the metallic base comprising two
ferromagnetic thin layers separated by normal metals (middle).
The three-terminal device has the typical
emitter/base/collector structure of a (bipolar)
transistor, but is different in that the base region is
metallic and contains at least two magnetic layers
separated by a normal metal spacer.
The two magnetic layers act as polarizer and analyser

of electron spins, such that the relative orientation of
the magnetization of the two layers determines the
transmission of the base.
Spin dependence of the transport is in the

ferromagnetic materials, the semiconductors are used
to create energy barriers in the electron’s potential
landscape that are essential to the operation of the
device.
The resulting salient feature of the SVT is that
the collector current depends on the magnetic
state of the base.
They succeeded in the reproducible fabrication

of SVTs that exhibit magnetocurrent effects up
to 400% at room temperature, and in small
magnetic fields of only a few Oe.
the SVT is based on the spin-dependent

transport of non-equilibrium, so-called hot
electrons, rather than Fermi electrons.
SVT uses silicon as the semiconductor for the emitter and collector,
and has a metallic base that contains a Ni80Fe20/Au/Co spin valve.
At the interfaces between the metal base and the semiconductors,

energy barriers (Schottky barriers) are formed.
These energy barriers prevent electrons with the Fermi energy

from travelling through the structure.
At the interfaces between the metal base and the
semiconductors, energy barriers (Schottky barriers) are
formed.
These energy barriers prevent electrons with the Fermi

energy from travelling through the structure.
High quality Schottky barrier with good rectifying

behaviour and thermionic emission dominating, low
doped Si (1–10cm) is used, and thin layers of, e.g. Pt and
Au are incorporated at the emitter and collector side.
APPLICATIONS
Spin transistors have huge potential for incorporation in stable, high sensitivity magnetic field
sensors for automotive, robotic, mechanical engg. & data storage applications.
This may also be used as Magnetically Controlled Parametric Amplifiers & Mixers, as
magnetic signal processors, for control of brush less DC motors & as Magnetic Logic elements.
In log applications they have the advantage over conventional semiconductor chips that they do
not require power to maintain their memory state.
Quantum Computer, a new trend in computing. Here we use Qubits instead of bits. Qubit
also represents only 1& 0 but here they show superposition these classical states. But it is in
pioneering stage.
There are major efforts ongoing at Honeywell, IBM, Motorola in developing RAM based on spin
valves and metal tunnel junctions such devices called MRAM have demonstrated faster speed,
high density low power consumption, non-volatility and radiation harness they are promising
replacements for the Semi Conducting RAM currently used.
ADVANTAGES OF SVT (SPIN VALVE
TRANSISTOR)
Traditional transistors use on & off charge currents to create bits – the
binary 0 & 1 of Computer information. Quantum spin field effect transistor
will use up & down spin states to generate the same binary data.
A currently logic is usually carried out using conventional electrons, while

spin is used for memory. Spintronics will combine both.
In most Semi Conducting transistors the relative proportion of the up &

down carries types are equal. If Ferro Magnetic material is used as the
carrier source then the ratio can be deliberately skewed in one direction.
Amplification and / or switching properties of the Device can be controlled by

the external magnetic field applied to the device.
One of the problems of charge current electrons is that we pack more

devices together, the chip heats up. Spin current releases heat but it is
rather less.
LIMITATIONS
Controlling spin for long distances.
Difficult to INJECT and MEASURE spin.
Interference of fields with nearest

elements.
Control of spin in silicon is difficult.

CONCLUSION
Spinvalve transistor is more versatile and more robust
but it needs further fabrication methods to improve
magnetic sensitivity of collector current.
The greatest hurdle for spintronic engineers may be

controlling all that spin.
The key question will be whether any potential benefit of

such technology will be worth the production cost.
Spin valve transistors and other spin devices will become

affordable by using common metals.

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SPIN VALVE

Spintronics also known as magneto electronics,

Spintronics came into light by the advent of

In 1988, the giant magneto resistance (GMR)

The Nobel Prize for physics in 2007 was awarded

One FM layer as spin polarizer and other as detector.

Has shown 70% resistance difference between zero point

Basis for Tunneling Magneto Resistance.

Tunnel Magneto Resistance (TMR)

Magnetic Tunnel Junctions (MTJ)

Spin Transfer Torque (STT)

The most intimate form of

The hunt is now on for compounds that exhibit both

As seen above clearly magnetic film layer is grown

The implementation into working devices that operate at room

The subsequent observation of huge magnetic response at room

Spin transistors would allow control of the spin current in the

Consists of a silicon emitter, a magnetic multi-layer as the base and

SVT is a hot electron device.

Figure 2. Basic layout of the SVT, showing the three terminal

The two magnetic layers act as polarizer and analyser

Spin dependence of the transport is in the

They succeeded in the reproducible fabrication

the SVT is based on the spin-dependent

At the interfaces between the metal base and the semiconductors,

These energy barriers prevent electrons with the Fermi energy

These energy barriers prevent electrons with the Fermi

High quality Schottky barrier with good rectifying

A currently logic is usually carried out using conventional electrons, while

In most Semi Conducting transistors the relative proportion of the up &

Amplification and / or switching properties of the Device can be controlled by

One of the problems of charge current electrons is that we pack more

Controlling spin for long distances.

Difficult to INJECT and MEASURE spin.

Interference of fields with nearest

Control of spin in silicon is difficult.

The greatest hurdle for spintronic engineers may be

The key question will be whether any potential benefit of

Spin valve transistors and other spin devices will become

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