Electrons possess a fundamental spin that can exist independently of an electric charge, leading to spin current—a phenomenon that holds immense promise for the future of technology, particularly in memory devices. A groundbreaking research group at Osaka Metropolitan University has made significant advances in this vital field of spintronics.
Under the guidance of Professor Katsuichi Kanemoto, the team meticulously crafted a multilayer device that combines a ferromagnetic layer with an organic semiconductor.
By selecting a doped conducting polymer renowned for its extended spin relaxation time, the researchers achieved remarkable success in observing spin transport effects and generating spin currents from the non-magnetic side of the organic semiconductor. This discovery paves the way for innovative applications in next-generation technology.
The extended spin relaxation times significantly boost efficiency in spintronics and facilitate direct observation of phenomena related to the spin current generation in the organic layer.
Intriguingly, researchers found that, against conventional theory, the ferromagnetic resonance measurements for the spin current supplier layer exhibited a slight narrowing in systems incorporating the organic semiconductor with a long spin relaxation time.
“The use of the organic semiconductor makes it possible to pursue physical properties from the non-magnetic layer side, for which there was no information until now,” explained Professor Kanemoto. “Our work can be expected to contribute to a deeper understanding of the properties of spin currents.”
Journal reference:
- Kohei Takaishi, Haruka Tsutsumi, Hideto Matsuoka, Takayuki Suzuki, Katsuichi Kanemoto. Spin Current Generation at the Hybrid Ferromagnetic Metal/Organic Semiconductor Interface as Revealed by Multiple Magnetic Resonance Techniques. Advanced Electronic Materials, 2024; DOI: 10.1002/aelm.202400322