Bhubaneswar: A researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar has identified a semiconductor material that can help electronic devices retain information for significantly longer periods, potentially opening up new possibilities in next-generation electronics.




The study, led by Manish Kumar Mohanta , a Ramanujan faculty in the department of physics at IIT Bhubaneswar , has identified a particular surface of silver iodide (AgI) as a promising material for developing more stable and efficient spin-based electronic devices. The research has been recently published in Physical Review B , a journal of the American Physical Society .




According to Mohanta, electrons are tiny particles that make up atoms and carry electric charge. They also have a property called ‘spin’, which can be compared to the direction in which a tiny compass needle points. Scientists are exploring ways to use this spin, besides electric charge, to store and process information in electronic devices. This technology, known as spintronics , could make future computers and other electronic devices faster and more energy-efficient, Mohanta said.




However, one of the major challenges is that electron spins tend to lose their orientation over time, resulting in the loss of stored information. Mohanta’s research explores a phenomenon called ‘persistent spin texture’ (PST), in which electron spins maintain a stable, unidirectional alignment. This could significantly reduce the loss of spin-based information and allow it to be retained for much longer.




Through computer-based simulations, the researcher found that the (110) surface of silver iodide, a semiconductor, can support this stable spin arrangement. The study also found that the arrangement remains stable even when the material is subjected to moderate mechanical pressure or strain. The finding, he said, suggests that the material could be a promising candidate for future spintronic applications.




The study also found that this spin arrangement remains stable even when the material is subjected to moderate mechanical strain. “However, applying an electric field perpendicular to its surface can disturb the arrangement. This is significant because it suggests that the spin pattern could potentially be controlled using electric field,” he said.