Voltage controlled spintronic devices for logic applications

We consider logic device concepts based on our previously proposed spintronics device element whose magnetization orientation is controlled by application of a bias voltage instead of a magnetic field. The basic building block is the voltage-controlled rotation (VCR) element that consists of a four-layer structure-two ferromagnetic layers separated by both nanometer-thick insulator and metallic spacer layers. The interlayer exchange coupling between the two ferromagnetic layers oscillates as a function of applied voltage. We illustrate transistorlike concepts and reprogrammable logic gates based on VCR elements. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)32508-7].