LOS ANGELES, March 25 (UPI) -- University of California-Los Angeles scientists say they've created a new material that incorporates "spintronics" and may lead to better semiconductors.
The researchers at UCLA's Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science said their findings could help usher in the next generation of microelectronics by combining quantum dot technology with silicon for room-temperature functionality.
The scientists said the development of smaller and more compact devices has resulted in the need for new types of scaled-down semiconductors that are more efficient and use less power.
Today's conventional semiconductors rely on electrons' charge to power devices. The researchers said the emerging field of spintronics exploits another aspect of electrons -- their spin, which could be manipulated by electric and magnetic fields.
"With the use of nanoscaled magnetic materials, spintronics or electronic devices, when switched off, will not have a standby power dissipation problem, said Professor Kang Wang, who led the research. "With this advantage, devices with much lower power consumption, known as non-volatile electronics, can become a reality. Our approach provides a possible solution to address the critical challenges facing today's microelectronics industry and sheds light on the future of spintronics."
The research is to be reported in the April issue of the journal Nature Materials and is now available at the journal's Web site.
