Magnetic properties based on electron spins are closely correlated with electronic transport properties in magnetic nanostructures, which makes it possible to control electric signals by magnetic signals, and conversely, magnetic signals by electric signals. A new electronics utilizing this mutual control is called spintronics. Our group works on the fabrication of materials and the fundamental study of physical phenomena for spintronics. Particularly, we are interested in ordered alloys with a variety of functionalities, and fabricate nano-layered structures or composite device structures with magnetic ordered alloys to investigate novel magnetic and magnetotransport properties. Prominent results obtained to date include the observation of giant spin Hall effect, the demonstration of spin wave-assisted magnetization switching and the visualization of anomalous Ettingshausen effect in device structures with high magnetic anisotropy L10-FePt, and the enhancement of giant magnetoresistance effect and the observation of high-efficiency spin torque oscillation using half-metallic Heusler alloys.
Materials Development Division
Magnetic Materials Research Laboratory
Prof.Tadashi FURUHARA
- Assoc. Prof. Takeshi SEKI
- Assist. Prof. Keita ITO
Materials Fabrication for Spintronics by Artificial Nanostructure Control
spintronics, nanomagnetism, ordered alloys
Anomalous Ettingshausen Effect in an FePt ordered alloy film. The film temperature modulated by the electric current (Jc) flow and the magnetization (M) was visualized as the amplitude and phase of temperature modulation.
The device for the giant magnetoresistance effect using a half-metallic Heusler alloy, Co2Fe0.4Mn0.6Si. (a, b) Transmission electron microscope images, and (c) magnetoresistance curves of the device.