Summary
Two-dimensional (2D) layers just one atom thick can be stripped from certain materials, such as graphene. The individual layers from one or more of these materials can then be restacked to create cage-like quantum heterostructures, which possess novel quantum properties. Incorporating magnetism into such a structure at room temperature could enable direct control of electron spin polarization in the transistor geometry. We are working to combine 2D semiconductors and magnetic insulators as an early step toward creation of magnetic semiconductor heterostructures for spintronic devices. Along with proving the heterostructure concept, success in combining the two materials supports a subsequent goal, fabrication of a nanostructure consisting of a superconductor, semiconductor, and magnetic insulator. Achievement of these two goals will provide a fundamental building block for spintronics, address a vital materials challenge in the pathway to quantum computing, and potentially allow for integration of processing and storage technologies in a single device platform.
Figure 1. Magnetic van der Waals tunnel junction incorporating ultrathin chromium trihalides. (A) Schematic illustration of the device. (B) Normalizedtemperature-dependent dc resistance of CrX3(X=I, Br, and Cl) at constant current of 0.1 nA.Insetsshow schematics of the spin-dependent tunnel barrier forAFM and FM interlayer coupling. Red and blue arrows indicate spin orientation and are used throughout. Original illustration from PNAS Publications.
Related Content
Metasurfaces for high-efficiency parametric downconversion and complex quantum state generation
Summary Entangled photon sources are crucial for quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communication. Of growing importance are sources relying on spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC). Unfortunately, these sources of entangled photons are often constrained by momentum conservation laws. To overcome this limitation and expand the possibility of quantum state engineering, we intend to use metasurfaces […]
February 1, 2023
Reliably operating noisy quantum computers
Summary The overall goal of the project is to develop practical methods to be able to reliably run useful applications on near-term quantum computers. This requires identifying and overcoming the ubiquitous errors that currently limit quantum computing capabilities. Traditional methods of quantifying errors in quantum computers fail to predict how errors affect the output of […]
January 22, 2020
Tuning Spin-Exchange Interactions in Low-Dimensional Metal Halide Perovskites: A New Class of Semiconductor Quantum Materials
Summary Leakage current in electronic components is one of the limiting factors for the performance of conventional computers which use charges and currents as physical information carriers. Spintronics offers an alternative by using electron spin for information transfer, processing and storage, enabling the design of non-volatile computer memory and more energy-efficient electronic devices. In this […]
October 1, 2019
Functionalized Nanodiamonds for Sensing Biochemical Processes
Summary Chemotherapy is limited by the failure to clinically monitor the efficacy of the treatment in real-time, which results in suboptimal chemotherapy being given for a prolonged period. Predicting the outcome of chemotherapy immediately after drug administration can increase diagnostic accuracy, efficacy outcomes, and successful treatment. Quantum nanodiamond sensors can be used as optical sensors […]
August 31, 2022