Hellmann Spintronics

Spin Injector and Detector Characterization and Fabrication

One portion of the project focuses on characterization of iron-silicide (Fe₃Si) for use as a spin injector and detector. Current research efforts include stabilizing an epitaxial bcc iron-rich phase on Si and understanding how different compositions of this phase affect transport and magnetic properties. The ability to precisely control these properties is essential in developing a spintronic device. The second portion of this project focuses on development of a device to inject and subsequently detect spin polarized electrons in silicon. Current research efforts are focused on taking advantage of shape anisotropy to modulate the resistance of the device.