The primary obstacle to continued downscaling of charge-based electronic devices in accordance with Moore's law is the excessive energy dissipation that takes place in the device during switching of bits. Unlike charge-based devices, spin-based devices are switched by flipping spins without moving charge in space. Although some energy is still dissipated in flipping spins, it can be considerably less than the energy associated with current flow in charge-based devices. Unfortunately, this advantage will be squandered if the method adopted to switch the spin is so energy-inefficient that the energy dissipated in the switching circuit far exceeds the energy dissipated inside the system. Regrettably, this is often the case, e.g., switching spins with a magnetic field or with spin-transfer-torque mechanism. In this dissertation, it is shown theoretically that the magnetization of two-phase multiferroic single-domain nanomagnets can be switched very energy-efficiently, more so than any device currently extant, leading possibly to new magnetic logic and memory systems which might be an important contributor to Beyond-Moore's-Law technology. A multiferroic composite structure consists of a layer of piezoelectric material in intimate contact with a magnetostrictive layer. When a tiny voltage of few millivolts is applied across the structure, it generates strain in the piezoelectric layer and the strain is transferred to the magnetostrictive nanomagnet. This strain generates magnetostrictive anisotropy in the nanomagnet and thus rotates its direction of magnetization, resulting in magnetization reversal or 'bit-flip'. It is shown after detailed analysis that full 180 degree switching of magnetization can occur in the "symmetric" potential landscape of the magnetostrictive nanomagnet, even in the presence of room-temperature thermal fluctuations, which differs from the general perception on binary switching. With proper choice of materials, the energy dissipated in the bit-flip can be made as low as one attoJoule at room-temperature. Also, sub-nanosecond switching delay can be achieved so that the device is adequately fast for general-purpose computing. The above idea, explored in this dissertation, has the potential to produce an extremely low-power, yet high-density and high-speed, non-volatile magnetic logic and memory system. Such processors would be well suited for embedded applications, e.g., implantable medical devices that could run on energy harvested from the patient's body motion.

A simple bottom-up-based synthetic strategy named a solvothermal technique is introduced as the primary synthetic approach and its crystal growth mechanism is scrutinized. N-type cobalt-doped ZnO-based DMS nanocrystals are employed as a model system, and characterized by a broad spectrum of advanced microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. It is found that the self-orientation growth mechanism, imperfect oriented attachment, is intimately correlated with the high-temperature ferromagnetism via defects. The influence of processing on the magnetic properties, such as compositional variations, reaction conditions, and post-growth treatment, is also studied. In this way, an in-depth understanding of processing-structure-property interrelationships and origins of magnetism in DMS nanocrystals are obtained in light of the theoretical framework of a spin-split impurity band model. In addition, a nanoscale spinodal decomposition phase model is also briefly discussed. / Following the similar synthetic route, copper- and manganese-doped ZnO nanocrystals have been synthesized and characterized. They both show high-temperature ferromagnetism in line with the aforementioned theoretical model(s). Moreover, they display interesting exchange biasing phenomena at low temperatures, revealing the complexity of magnetic phases therein. / Spintronics (spin transport electr onics), in which both spin and charge of carriers are utilized for information processing, is believed to challenge the current microelectronics and to become the next-generation electronics. Nanostructured spintronic materials and their synthetic methodologies are of paramount importance for manufacturing future nanoscale spintronic devices. This thesis aims at studying synthesis, characterization, and magnetism of transition-metal-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals---a diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS)---for potential applications in future nano-spintronics. / The crystal growth strategy demonstrated in this work not only provides a more convenient approach to directly tailor magnetic properties of advanced multifunctional spintronic materials on a nanometer scale but also contributes to a deeper insight into the microscopic origin of magnetism in wide-band-gap oxide DMSs. / Wang, Xuefeng. / "August 2007." / Adviser: J. B. Xu. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: B, page: 1230. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

Orientador: Carlos Frederico de Oliveira Graeff / Banca: Francisco das Chagas Marques / Banca: Fenelon Martinho Lima Pontes / Banca: Claudio José Magon / Banca: José Humberto Dias da Silva / O Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia de Materiais, PosMat, tem caráter institucional e integra as atividades de pesquisa em materiais de diversos campi / Resumo: Os corantes cianinas apresentam bom potencial como camada ativa de células solares orgânicas (CSO), como por exemplo, são fortes absorvedores de luz visível e infravermelha, podem ser fabricados utilizando técnicas muito simples, com baixo custo e boa flexibilidade mecânica. No entanto apresentam certos problemas como baixa condutividade eletrônica e as células solares baseadas nestes materiais apresentam baixas eficiências. Neste contexto, este trabalho buscou compreender os processos de geração e transferência de cargas em blendas de corantes em cianina atuando como aceitadores ou doadores de elétrons. Foram utilizados os corantes trimetina (Cy7) com diferentes contraíons. As principais técnicas utilizadas neste estudo foram a de Ressonância de Spin Eletrônico (ESR) e uma variação com aplicação de luz durante a medida (LESR) em temperatura de 77 k. Foram estudados o efeito dos diferentes corantes, bem como o efeito de seus contraíons na geração e transferência de cargas. Para a análise dos resultados foram simulados os espectros de ESR e LESR para cada espécie paramagnética observada utilizando o software "EasySpin". Atuando como aceitador de elétrons em blendas com o polímero MEH-PPV, as blendas com corantes Cy3 mostraram uma melhor geração e transferência de cargas fotoinduzidas em comparação com as blendas com corantes Cy7. Já atuando como doadores de elétrons em blendas com o fulereno C60, observou-se um efeito inverso, em que as blendas com corantes Cy7 apresentaram uma melhor geração e transferência de cargas fotoinduzidas. Além disso, os resultados de ESR e LERS mostraram diferentes sinais para o (C60)1 modificando-se apenas os contraíons dos corantes, que pode ser explicado baseando-se em estudos sobre morfologia. Por fim foram realizados estudos de oxidação das amostras a fim de comprovar a origem de alguns sinais de LESR em menores campos magnéticos / Abstract: The eyanines dyes have good potential as an active layer of organic solar cells, for example, they are strong absorbers of visible and infrared light, can be manufactured using very simple techniques, with low cost and good mechanical flexibility. However, they present problems such as low eletronic conductivity and solar cells based on these materials exhbit low efficiencies. In this context, this study aimed to understand the photoinduced charge generation and transfer processes is blends of dyes based on cyanine acting as electron acceptors or donors for use in organic solar cells. Trimethine dyes (Cy3) and heptamethine dye (Cy7) with different counterions were used. The main technique used in this study were the Electronic Spin Resonance (ESR) and its variation with the application of light during the measurement (LESR) at temperature of 77 K. We studied the effect of different dyes, as well as the effect of its counterions in the charge generation and transfer. For the analysis of results were simulated the ESR and LESR spectra for each paramagnetic species observed through software "EasySpin". Acting as electron acceptor in blends with the MEH-PPV polymer, the dyes blends with Cy3 dyes showed better photo-induced charge generation and transfer compared Cy7 dyes. However, working as electron donors in blends with C60 fullerene the opposite effect was observed, where the blends with Cy7 dyes show a better photo-induced charge generation and transfer than blends with Cy3 dyes. Moreover, the ESR and LESR results showed different signals for (C60)1- changing only the conunterions of the dye, which can be explained based on morphological studies. Finally, the samples oxidation studies were conducted to verify the originals of LESR signals at lower magnetic fields / Doutor

Since the discovery of the long-range ferromagnetic order in two-dimensional and multi-layered van der Waals crystals, and the observation of a nontrivial topology of the magnon bulk bands in the chromium trihalides, the bosonic honeycomb lattices have drawn significant attention within the condensed matter community. In this thesis, we employ a Heisenberg model with a Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction in a honeycomb ferromagnetic lattice to study the properties of bulk and edge spin-wave excitations (magnon). By the Holstein-Primakoff transformations in the linear spin-wave approximation, the spin Hamiltonian is written as the bosonic equivalent of the Haldane model for spinless fermions. We present a simple bosonic tight binding formalism which allows us to obtain analytical solutions for the energy spectrum and wavefunctions. We investigate three basic boundaries in the honeycomb lattice: zigzag, bearded and armchair, and we derive analytical expressions for the energy band structure and wavefunctions for the bulk and edge states, and with both zero and nonzero Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction. We find that in a lattice with a boundary, the intrinsic on-site interactions along the boundary sites generate an effective defect and this gives rise to Tamm-like edge states. If a nontrivial gap is induced, both Tamm-like and topologically protected edge states appear in the band structure. The effective defect can be strengthened by an external on-site potential, and the dispersion relation, velocity and magnon density of the edge states all become tunable. We also investigate the bond modulation in the bosonic Haldane model, where by introducing a Kekule bond modulation and with the analysis of the gap closing conditions and the bulk band inversions, we find a rich topological phase diagram for this system yet to be discovered. We identify four topological phases, verified by a numerical calculation of the Chern number, in terms of the Kekule modulation parameter and the Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction. We present the bulk-edge correspondence for the magnons in a honeycomb lattice for both armchair and zigzag boundaries. We believed that our study in this thesis will be important for possible applications of magnons in data process devices such as magnonics.

The spintronic materials graphene and FeRh are of great scientific and technological interest due to their unique properties. Graphene's remarkable electronic transport and low spin interaction suggest it could be a near-perfect spin-transport material, while the equiatomic alloy FeRh undergoes a first-order antiferromagnetic (AF) to ferromagnetic (FM) phase transition when heated through a critical temperature ~370 K. Combining these materials could lead to a single multifunctional spin injection, transport and detection device in which a range of stimuli - heat, magnetic field, strain etc. - could be used to manipulate the device state. However, realisation of such a multifunctional device is extremely challenging. This thesis describes the progress made in developing a novel method of spin injection into graphene, and details a study of the metamagnetic phase transition in FeRh nanowires suitable for use as spin injection and detection electrodes. The measured values of spin lifetime and spin diffusion length in graphene are an order of magnitude lower than those predicted theoretically. In this project, a novel 1D contact geometry was investigated to determine whether the dwelling of spins underneath tunnel barrier contacts was the cause of the discrepancy. Although these devices exhibited very high charge carrier mobility - indicating successful device fabrication, defect-free graphene flakes and low levels of contamination - no spin signals were observed. Through a thorough investigation of this unexpected result it was determined that the quality of the graphene/- ferromagnetic interface was limiting the polarisation of injected spin current. The use of FeRh as a novel spin injection and detection material was investigated through magnetic force microscopy imaging of the AF and FM phases during heating and cooling sweeps. The results from FeRh full-films showed a strong dependence on surface morphology, as certain surface types were observed to favour the FM phase. These behaviours were confirmed in patterned nanowire devices, which indicated that the dependence on surface topology dominated over spatial confinement effects. In order to perform these studies a magneto-transport measurement system capable of performing measurements over a wide temperature range 2 K - 500 K in a rotatable magnetic field of up to 750 mT was developed. The noise base of the completed system was measured at just 10% above the theoretical minimum level.

On étudie les propriétés de spin des états évanescents d'un semi-conducteur dépourvu de centre d'inversion. La topologie particulière des bandes évanescentes qui résulte de l'interaction spin-orbite est à l'origine d'un l'effet tunnel anormal. La nature même du processus tunnel devient très dépendante de l'orientation cristallographique de la barrière. Deux cas typiques sont analysés : tunneling sous incidence oblique sur une barrière orientée selon la direction [001] et tunneling sous incidence normale au travers d'une barrière orientée dans la direction [110]. Dans le premier cas, un processus tunnel quasi-classique peut être restauré de façon assez subtile et des effets de filtres à spin sont mis en évidence. Dans le second cas, la situation est particulièrement originale. La notion de courant de probabilité, qui joue un rôle central, est réexaminée et les conditions de discontinuité aux interface de la dérivée de la fonction d'onde sont établies. Selon cette direction où la levée de dégénérescence de spin de la bande de conduction est maximum, il n'y a curieusement aucun filtrage de spin mais l'onde transmise subit un déphasage dont le signe dépend de l'orientation du spin. On prédit des effets de précession de spin autour d'un champ effectif complexe régnant dans la barrière. Ces résultats permettent de concevoir, par ingénierie spin-orbite d'hétérostructures, des dispositifs tunnel résonnant capables de manipuler le spin.

The main subject of this thesis is the study of electronic and magnetic properties of materials containing 3d transition metal atoms. Our motivation stems mainly from the modern fields of spintronic computing and solar energy conversion. The two primary goals of this work are to determine (i) why certain transition metal impurities in certain semiconductors can induce magnetic properties suitable for spintronic computing applications, and (ii) how transition metal impurities can be used to modify the electronic band gaps of semiconductors and insulators in ways useful for harnessing solar energy and for other applications. To accomplish these goals, we have applied both experimental and theoretical tools. We studied high quality materials prepared by advanced synthesis techniques using x-ray spectroscopy methods at synchrotron light sources. The results of these experiments were interpreted using a variety of theoretical techniques, primarily using computational software developed as part of this thesis and discussed herein. Regarding the study of introducing transition metal impurities into semiconductors to induce magnetic properties, we first developed and demonstrated a method to determine the location of impurity atoms within the host semiconductor lattice. This allowed to us explain the presence and absence of ferromagnetism in samples prepared under only slightly different synthesis conditions, which helped to address some long--standing issues in the spintronics field. We then studied an advanced and promising material -- indium (III) oxide with iron impurities -- to determine how magnetic ordering was maintained up to room temperatures. Our techniques unveiled that a portion of the iron atoms were coupled to oxygen vacancies in the material to create conditions which propelled the observed magnetism. This finding confirmed some earlier theoretical predictions by others in the field. For the study of electronic band gap modifications in semiconductors and insulators via the incorporation of transition metal atoms, we investigated a wide range of materials synthesized using different techniques. Again, we used experimental techniques to determine the location of impurity atoms within the materials, and used this to understand how band gaps were modified upon the introduction of the impurities. For Ti implantation into SiO2, Ni substitution into ZnO, and a new material, MnNCN, we have determined the electronic band gaps and used our techniques to explain how the values for the gaps arise. Finally, an additional outcome of this thesis work is a software program capable of simulating x-ray spectra using various advanced quantum models. We rewrote and built upon powerful existing programs and applied the result to the above studies. Our software was further applied in a collaborative effort with other researchers at the Canadian Light Source to study the differences in two experimental techniques for measuring x-ray absorption: partial and inverse partial fluorescence yields. By using the proper absorption and scattering formalisms to simulate each technique, we were able to explain the differences between the experimental spectra obtained from each. We explain fluorescence yield deviations using an analysis based on the spin configuration of different states, suggesting that the technique can be further extended as a quantitative spin state probe. These results could have significant implications for the field of soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy.

The primary goal of my dissertation was to build a Scanning Hall Probe Microscope (SHPM) for studying the domain structure of a ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga[subscript 0.94]Mn[subscript 0.06]). This new semiconductor may be used in the emerging field of spintronics, where both the charge and spin of an electron are utilized. The first part of this dissertation introduces the scanning probe microscopy techniques that are used for our homemade SHPM performance test and images. In chapter 2, general spintronics and ferromagnetic semiconductor are introduced. A compact design of our LT-SHPM is introduced in chapter 3. A unique taper seal based on stainless steel and Cu for opening/closing the vacuum chamber is used for our homemade SHPM. In chapter 4, Hall probes are discussed. In this chapter, ESD (Electrostatic discharge) and its repair work are discussed. Finally, in Chapter 5, SHPM imaging results of Ga[subscript 0.94]Mn[subscript 0.06]As are discussed. We observed stripe domain patterns. We also observed the domain patterns as a function of magnetic field and temperature. / text

As features on integrated circuits continue to shrink, currently at 22 nm and predicted to approach 10 nm by 2020, the semiconductor industry is rapidly brushing up against the fundamental limits of electric charge and current based devices. These limits are due to the fact that charges are being pushed around in tiny areas and they repel one another with significant force. Fortunately, there are many other degrees of freedom in solids that do not suffer from these limitations and are just waiting to be harnessed in useful devices. This idea is behind all of the fields that have lately been proliferating ending in -onics, photonics, plasmonics, phononics, and of most relevance to this dissertation spintronics. Spintronics refers to a field of research wherein ways are sought to utilize the spin property of the electron in devices. One of the most attractive aspects of electron spin is that it can be used to store (transiently or permanently), process, and transmit information. The main challenge in spintronics is accessing the spin degree of freedom. Until the discovery of the giant magnetoresistance effect in the late 1980's, the only way to manipulate the electron spin was through a magnetic field. Recent developments have shown that electron spins can be controlled with direct currents of both heat and electrons, which have the benefit of being easy to generate and direct without interfering over a large area. The purpose of this dissertation is to study methods of controlling the dynamics of magnetization in thin films for spintronic applications by imaging the spin wave intensity in devices. To this end we have constructed a micro-focus Brillouin Light Scattering system to map the intensity of spin waves propagating in thin ferromagnetic films on the sub-micron scale. We have studied issues relating to fundamental issues of spin wave propagation in thin films. We have investigated the possibility of spin wave amplification with direct charge currents and spin currents generated by the spin Hall effect. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the ability to measure the magnon and phonon temperatures, which is important for studies of thermal transport. / text

published_or_final_version / abstract / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy