NU 2010-070

Inventors

John Peters

Nikhil Rangaraju

Bruce Wessels* 

Short Description

A bipolar magnetic junction transistor for spintronic devices

Abstract

A bipolar magnetic junction transistor for spintronic devices is recently developed at Northwestern University to enable the exceptionally efficient information processing and storage. Compared with conventional semiconductor devices, spintronic devices hold great promise for creating circuits that are faster and more energy efficient. While hybrid spintronic devices comprising ferromagnetic metals and semiconductors have been developed, all-semiconductor devices are desired considering the integration and fabrication of the existing all-semiconductor infrastructure. Towards this goal, Northwestern researchers invented the first all-semiconductor bipolar magnetic junction transistor (MJT) for spintronic devices. This novel MJT device includes two non-magnetic semiconductor layers and one magnetic semiconductor layer to produces the unique property of magneto-amplification (MA), which allows the control of amplification effect through the application of external magnetic field. The MA capability in this all-semiconductor transistor at room temperature enables the creation of new computer logic architecture where the spin of the carriers is utilized. 

Applications

• Information storage
• Communication and information processing
• Magnetic field sensing

Advantages

• All semiconductor based
• Magneto-amplification property
• High energy efficiency

Publication

N. Rangaraju, J. A. Peters, and B. W. Wessels (2010)  Magnetoamplification in a Bipolar Magnetic Junction Transistor. Physical Review Letters . 105: 117202. 

IP Status

Issued US Patent No. 9,136,398