Design of magnetoelectric devices for advanced spintronic applications

Spintronics is an emerging field of electronics that leverages the spin of electrons or the magnetization of thin films, rather than charge, in memory or logic computation devices. A major challenge in spintronics is achieving energy-efficient control of magnetization in these devices. Current device concepts often rely on controlling magnetization through currents, such as those generated by magnetic fields or recently discovered effects like spin-transfer torque or spin-orbit torque. However, these methods are typically not very energy-efficient, making it highly desirable to control magnetization using electric fields instead. This can be achieved through the magnetoelectric effect, which couples electric fields to magnetization. This effect is being strongly considered for inclusion in future generations of low-power spintronic devices.
 
Magnetoelectric effects naturally occur in multiferroic materials, but much stronger strain-induced magnetoelectric coupling can be observed in composite materials composed of piezoelectric and magnetostrictive materials. Applying this in spintronic devices requires a detailed understanding of the geometry (e.g., the relative directions of the electric field and the magnetization) and the impact of thermal fluctuations on magnetization dynamics. In this thesis, the student will perform simulations to study magnetoelectric coupling in different geometries and material systems. The goal is to develop efficient strategies for controlling magnetization orientation and switching via the magnetoelectric effect, as well as to assess the voltage generated by magnetization rotation through the inverse effect. This work will be conducted in close collaboration with experimentalists working on integrating magnetoelectrics into spintronic devices for exploratory logic.

Type of Project: Thesis; Combination of internship and thesis; Internship 

Master's degree: Master of Science 

Master program: Physics; Nanoscience & Nanotechnology 

Duration: > 6 Months 

Supervisor: Bart Soree (EE, Nano, Physics) 

For more information or application, please contact the supervising scientists Christoph Adelmann (Christoph.Adelmann@imec.be) and Florin Ciubotaru (Florin.Ciubotaru@imec.be).