The exciting world of spintronics

“An electron possesses charge and spin. Conventional semiconductor electronics is based on electron’s charge. Spintronics is an emerging technology, which utilizes both charge and spin. Spintronics promises novel devices such as non-volatile memory, microwave oscillators and detectors, logic circuits which will be faster and more energy efficient.
In this talk, I will present a review of spintronics with emphasis on recent developments.  One of the recent developments is the discovery of spin-transfer torque (torque exerted by spin-polarized current on a ferromagnet). This torque can rotate the magnetization of a nano-magnet at potentially useful frequencies and even switch its direction. I will also discuss new ways of generating and detecting spin-polarized current and dissipation associated with the flow of spin-polarized current.”