Magnetoelectric Spin-FET for Memory, Logic, and Amplifier Applications

We propose a ballistic magneto-electric device that permits conductance modulation with both electric and magnetic fields applied perpendicular to its current conduction channel. Fields are applied through the ferromagnetic gates deposited on top of a HEMT heterostructure that contains a 2DEG for current conduction. The minimal-coupling Hamiltonian with spatially uniform electrical potentials, and delta Zeeman splitting is solved in the weak-coupling limit for which the Rashba spin orbit coupling is not considered. Ballistic transmission of electrons through a periodic system of zero-gauge double-pair magnetoelectric barriers is studied. Manipulation of barriers’ geometrical symmetry and configuration leads to the conception of a spin-FET for non-volatile storage and digital logic operations. The linear modulation of electron spin polarization (|P|) is also studied for its relevance to electrical signal amplification. Perpendicular magnetization of the ferromagnetic gates permits modulation of both |P| and electron transmission (T) threshold, the latter is particularly useful for spin logic design.