Reconfigurable spin logic device using electrochemical potentials

Abstract

A reconfigurable spin logic device is realized using an asymmetric quantum well displaying strong Rashba spin splitting. This design is developed to remove the inefficient spin injection process and to utilize the Rashba-effect-induced electrochemical potential shifts. In this logic device, two ferromagnetic electrodes were deposited on two quantum well channels, respectively. The magnetization orientations of the ferromagnetic electrodes determine the function of the logic operation, and the polarity of the charge current is assigned to the logic input. The output voltage corresponds to the difference between potentials of the two ferromagnetic terminals, which read the electrochemical potentials of the individual quantum well channels. The detected signal induced by the Rashba channel is observed to be two orders of magnitude greater than the spin injection signal from the ferromagnetic source into the semiconductor channel. Four logic functions, i.e., the AND, OR, NAND, and NOR operations, are illustrated for a single device up to room temperature. Published under license by AIP Publishing.