Spintronics - From fundamental spin physics to daily applied leading-edge technology

by Albert Fert (CNRS Gold Medal 2003 / Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS-Thales (associated with Université Paris-Sud) Orsay, F91404, France)

Thursday 22 Apr 2004, 16:30 → 17:30 Europe/Zurich

500/1-001 - Main Auditorium (CERN)

Manipulating spin currents in nanostructures associating magnetic and nonmagnetic materials is the basic idea of spintronics, in contrast to mainstream electronics in which the spin of the electron is ignored. This idea was first exploited in purely metallic nanostructures and, for example, this has given the giant magnetoresistance of the multilayers, which is now applied in most read heads of hard discs. Spintronics has then rapidly extended from the only domain of the metallic systems and today's structures for spintronics combine various magnetic materials with metals, insulators or semiconductors. My review of recent developments will include spin polarized tunneling and its application to M-Ram memories for a new generation of computers, magnetic switching by transfer of spins from a spin-polarized current, and several aspects of the research on spintronics with semiconductors. I will also examine the most promising prospects for technology.

Organiser(s): Daniel Treille / PH-EP Department

Note: Tea & coffee will be served at 16:00 hrs.

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