Researchers from IBM and European university ETH Zurich have announced they have directly mapped the formation of a persistent spin helix in a semiconductor for the first time. They observed how electron spins move in a semiconductor while rotating, like couples doing a waltz. This will let them manipulate the spin, which is a crucial step toward developing spin-based transistors that can be electrically programmed. That, in turn, could help achieve more efficient means of storing data.
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IBM Asks Electrons to the Big Dance
Posted by: Richard Adhikari August 14, 2012 07:00 AMResearchers from IBM and European university ETH Zurich have announced they have directly mapped the formation of a persistent spin helix in a semiconductor for the first time. They observed how electron spins move in a semiconductor while rotating, like couples doing a waltz. This will let them manipulate the spin, which is a crucial step toward developing spin-based transistors that can be electrically programmed. That, in turn, could help achieve more efficient means of storing data.