Graphene Nanoribbons: It's All about the Edges
March 24, 2016 | EMPAEstimated reading time: 3 minutes
And these display a very promising feature. Electrons can spin either to the left or to the right, which is referred to as the internal spin of electrons. The special feature of the zigzag GNR is that, along each edge, the electrons all spin in the same direction; an effect which is referred to as ferro-magnetic coupling. At the same time, the so-called antiferromagnetic coupling ensures that the electrons on the other edge all spin in the opposite direction. So the electrons on one side all have a "spin-up" state and on the other edge they all have a "spin-down" state.
Thus, two independent spin-channels with opposite "directions of travel" arise on the band edges, like a road with separated lanes. Via intentionally integrated structural defects on the edges or - more elegantly - via the provision of an electrical, magnetic or optical signal from the outside, spin barriers and spin filters can thus be designed that require only energy in order to be switched on and off - the precursor to a nanoscale and also extremely energy efficient transistor.
Possibilities such as this make GNR extremely interesting for spintronic devices; these use both the charge and the spin of the electrons. This combination is prompting scientists to forecast completely new components, e.g. addressable magnetic data storage devices which maintain the information that has been fed in even after the power has been turned off.
Page 2 of 2Suggested Items
SPEA Expands in Southeast Asia with New Subsidiary in Thailand
05/17/2024 | SPEASPEA, a global leader in automatic test equipment for the manufacturing of semiconductor, microelectronic and electronic devices, today announced the opening of its new subsidiary in Thailand. This expansion marks a significant step forward in SPEA's commitment to serving the growing Southeast Asian microchip and electronics market with leading-edge manufacturing machinery and equipment.
Indium Corporation to Showcase Sustainable Solutions for Power Electronics at PCIM
05/17/2024 | Indium CorporationAs one of the leading materials providers to the power electronics assembly industry, Indium Corporation® will proudly showcase a selection of innovative products at PCIM Europe, June 11-13, in Nuremberg, Germany.
Siemens, Foxconn Team Up to Optimize Forward-thinking Manufacturing
05/16/2024 | FoxconnSiemens AG, a leading technology company, and Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), the world’s largest electronics manufacturer, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to drive digital transformation and sustainability in smart manufacturing platforms.
IPC Releases May 2024 Global Sentiment of the Electronics Supply Chain Report
05/16/2024 | IPCSentiment among electronics manufacturers fell this month, after hitting a new high in April. Despite the decline, sentiment remains historically high according to IPC’s May Sentiment of the Global Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chain Report.
Sypris Reports Q1 2024 Results; Revenue Up 10%
05/15/2024 | Sypris Solutions Inc.The Company’s first quarter 2024 consolidated revenue increased 10.1% to $35.6 million compared with the prior-year quarter, representing the 11th quarter of double-digit year-over-year growth during the past 12 quarterly periods.