Skyrmion transport driven by pure voltage generated strain gradient

The magnetic skyrmion transport driven by pure voltage-induced strain gradient is proposed and studied via micromagnetic simulation. Through combining the skyrmion with multiferroic heterojunction, a voltage-induced uniaxial strain gradient is adjusted to move skyrmions. In the system, a pair of short-circuited trapezoidal top electrodes can generate the symmetric strain. Due to the symmetry of strain, the magnetic skyrmion can be driven with a linear motion in the middle of the nanostrip without deviation. We calculate the strain distribution generated by the trapezoidal top electrodes pair, and further investigate the influence of the strain intensity as well as the strain gradient on the skyrmion velocity. Our findings provide a stable and low-energy regulation method for skyrmion transport.     

纳米级自旋电子学材料取得重要进展

因为纳米级的自旋电子学器件需要在纳米尺度上仍能在较高温度下保持优异性能的高自旋极化率材料，故与半导体相容的半金属铁磁体近来受到高度重视．文章介绍作者在这个方向上研究工作的最新重要进展：通过大规模系统的高精度第一原理计算，作者发现三个3d过渡金属硫系化合物的闪锌矿相具有优异的半金属铁磁性，并且其结构性能适合做成具有足够厚度的薄膜或层状材料，便于应用于纳米级自旋电子学器件。     

磁电垒结构中自旋极化输运性质的研究

研究了电子隧穿几类磁电垒结构的自旋极化输运性质，导出统一的传输概率公式，揭示了非 均匀磁场的分布与自旋过滤的关系，同时表明采用有效朗德因子较大的半导体材料可以显著 增强磁电垒结构的自旋过滤效果. 关键词： 磁电垒 自旋过滤 自旋电子学 自旋极化     

An introduction to molecular spintronics

We review the progress and future possibilities in the emerging area of molecular spintronics. We first provide an overview of the different transport regimes in which electronic nanodevices can operate, then briefly overview the important characteristics of molecular magnetic materials that can be useful for application in spintronics and we eventually present several schemes to include such systems into spintronic nanodevices. We hightlight the importance of a chemical approach to the area, and in the last section we showcase some approaches to the creation of hybrids made of carbon nanostructures and molecular magnets, which are gaining increasing attention.     

High‐TC Ferromagnetic Semiconductor‐Like Behavior and Unusual Electrical Properties in Compounds with a 2×2×2 Superstructure of the Half‐Heusler Phase

Heusler phases, including the full‐ and half‐Heusler families, represent an outstanding class of multifunctional materials on account of their great tunability in compositions, valence electron counts (VEC), and properties. Here we demonstrate a systematic design of a series of new compounds with a 2×2×2 superstructure of the half‐Heusler unit cell in X–Y–Z (X=Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ir; Y=Zn, Mn; Z=Sn, Sb) systems. Their structures were solved by using both powder and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, and also directly observed by using high‐angle annular dark‐field imaging in a scanning transmission electron microscope (HAADF‐STEM). The VEC values of these new compounds span a wide and continuous range comparable to those for the full‐ and half‐Heusler families, thereby implying tunability in compositions and physical properties in the superstructure. In fact, we observed abnormal electrical properties and a ferromagnetic semiconductor‐like behavior with a high and tunable Curie temperature in these superstructures.     

Magnetoelectronic properties of ferromagnetic compounds Rb2TaZ6 (Z = Cl,Br) for possible spintronic applications

Highly spin-polarized ferromagnetic materials are essential for efficient spintronic devices. Here, 100% spin-polarized compounds Rb₂TaZ₆ (Z = Cl, Br) studied via density functional theory are reported. These compounds show stability in the ferromagnetic phase with cubic symmetry and half metallic behavior, thereby exhibiting a nonzero direct band gap in the spin-down channel and zero band gap in the spin-up configuration. The Ta-d sates contribute mainly to the net magnetic moments as explained by the crystal field theory and density of states. High Curie temperatures of 960.35 and 1021.74 K for Ra₂TaCl₆ and Rb₂TaBr₆, along with maximum spin polarizability, make these compounds favorable for efficient spintronic applications.     

二维磁性纳米材料的可控合成及磁性调控

自旋电子学的研究重点在于同时利用电子的电荷和自旋两个自由度对信息进行处理和存储,其具有运行速度快、存储密度高和能耗低等优势。毫无疑问,发展二维磁性纳米材料的可控合成方法及磁性调控策略,对于新型自旋电子学器件的构筑具有重要的科学意义和应用价值。然而,目前得到的二维磁性纳米材料的种类十分有限,而且合成方法及磁性调控手段相对单一,极大地限制了该领域的发展。本文首先根据磁性的来源,对二维磁性纳米材料进行了分类,介绍了诱导产生的磁性和具有本征磁性的二维纳米材料,然后详细地归纳了二维磁性纳米材料常见的合成方法,如机械剥离法、电化学剥离法、化学气相沉积法以及液相合成方法等。此外,着重总结了二维材料磁性的主要调控手段,最后展望了该领域遇到的瓶颈、未来的研究重点及应用前景。     

自旋-轨道耦合系统中的自旋流定义

通常的自旋流定义在描述自旋-轨道耦合系统中的自旋输运是不完整的与非物理的。文章作者提出在这类系统中自旋流的恰当定义。新定义的自旋流克服了通常定义下的本质缺点，可通过实验直接观测。     

Spin gapless semiconductor like Ti2MnAl film as a new candidate for spintronics application

A novel Heusler ferrimagnet Ti₂MnAl film has been grown on Si(001) substrate using magnetron sputtering. Characteristics of its magnetic and transport properties reveal the spin‐gapless‐semiconductor (SGS) nature of the stoichiometric Ti₂MnAl, in agreement with theoretical prediction. The as‐grown SGS‐like Ti₂MnAl film demonstrated high Curie temperature, nearly compensated ferrimagnetic properties with small coercivity and low magnetization. It also showed semiconductor‐like behavior at room temperature allowing good compatibility with commercial Si‐based semiconductor. In this regards, Ti₂MnAl film is a potential candidate material for spintronics application, especially for the minimization of energy consumption of device. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)