Consumers expect their electronics to be smaller and cheaper than ever before. New research by University of Nebraska-Lincoln scientists might assist in the production of such desired mini-gadgets.
The scientists have broken new ground in the field of "spin electronics," which prove a "magnetoresistance" phenomenon.
Andrei Sokolov, Chunjuan Zhang, Evgeny Tsymbal and Jody Redepenning conducted the research, which was featured in the March issue of Nature Nanotechnology.
Spin electronics is the study of the spin that electron particles exhibit, said Redepenning, an associate professor of chemistry. He said this spin could be compared to the spinning of a top, a merry-go-round or a planet's rotation.
"The spin of an electron makes it behave like a tiny compass needle that is influenced by a magnetic field," Redepenning said in an e-mail.
"The tremendous worldwide interest in spin electronics is stimulated by the fact that exploiting the electronic spin … could enable a revolutionary enhancement of the capabilities of electronic devices," said Tsymbal, a physics and astronomy professor.
The UNL scientists were interested in measuring how the flow of electrons would be affected when passing through a magnetic field, he said.
In previous research, Tsymbal predicted that when passing through a magnetic field the normal flow of electrons would change direction depending on the orientation of the field, Redepenning said.
The scientists discovered that Tsymbal's theory was accurate, and the flow of electrons through a magnetic field is different from the classic behavior of electrons, Redepenning said.
"A similar group tried to make this same phenomenon, but we were the first to succeed," said Sokolov, a research assistant professor in physics and astronomy.
The discovery of this occurrence could significantly affect future technologies, Sokolov said. He said it could assist in the mass production of ultra-small electronic devices.
"Possible applications of this knowledge could eventually include high-speed magnetic switches or detectors for use in magnetic recording devices," Redepenning said. "But in the short term, the most important result of this research is that we understand the world a little better than we did before."
