Voltage-controlled magnetic-based devices having topological insulator/magnetic insulator heterostructure
AssigneeUniversity of Iowa Research Foundation
InventorMichael Flatté
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A voltage-controlled magnetic based device is described that includes a magnetic insulator; a topological insulator adjacent the magnetic insulator; and magnetic dopants within the topological insulator. The magnetic dopants are located within an edge region of the topological insulator to inhibit charge current flow in the topological insulator during a switching operation using an applied electric field generating by applying a switching voltage across two electrodes at opposite sides of the topological insulator. Power dissipation due to carrier-based currents can be avoided or at least minimized by the magnetic dopants at the edges of the topological insulator.
Claims13
A voltage-controlled magnetic-based device, comprising:
- a magnetic material having a first contact plane;
- a topological insulator adjacent the magnetic material at the first contact plane;
- magnetic dopants within the topological insulator;
- a first electrode at one side of the topological insulator at a second contact plane;
- and
- a second electrode at an opposite side of the topological insulator at a third contact plane, wherein the second contact plane and the third contact plane are orthogonal to the first contact plane.
A method of operating a voltage-controlled magnetic-based device comprising a magnetic material having a first contact plane;
- a topological insulator adjacent the magnetic material at the first contact plane;
- magnetic dopants within the topological insulator;
- a first electrode at one side of the topological insulator at a second contact plane;
- and a second electrode at an opposite side of the topological insulator at a third contact plane, wherein the second contact plane and the third contact plane are orthogonal to the first contact plane, the method comprising:
- applying a switching voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode to generate an electric field through the topological insulator for a length of time sufficient to change a first magnetization direction of the magnetic material to a second magnetization direction opposite of the first magnetization direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.