ECE 730 Topic 19 - Magnetism and Spintronics
Instructor:
Guoxing
Miao,
RAC2-1120,
x31188,
guo-xing.miao@uwaterloo.ca
Normal
lectures:
Mondays
5:30-8:20
pm,
January
6
to
March
31
Classroom:
EIT
3141
Office
hours:
Monday
afternoon
immediately
before
the
lectures,
4:00-5:30
pm,
EIT
4009
Course description
In this course, we take a look at the basic concepts in the field of spintronics. We start by exploring the macroscopical behavior of magnetic materials and their switching dynamics. With basic quantum mechanics, we can then explain origin of the spontaneous magnetization, and the evolution of individual spins in (effective) magnetic fields. These concepts are then applied to some practical devices in order to demonstrate the additional controllability in these devices compared to the traditional electronics. The main objective of this course is to provide students of engineering background enough knowledge such that they can understand, and design novel devices which can benefit from the additional electron spin degrees’ of freedom. Such devices are promising candidates to push the frontiers of modern electronics towards more capable, more compact, and more energy efficient information processors.
A total of 12 lectures, covering the following topics
-
Conventional
magnetism
- Diamagnetism
- Paramagnetism
- Ferromagnetism
- Ferrimagnetism
- Antiferromagnetism
-
Magnetization
process
- Single domain switching
- Superparamagnetic particles
- Domain walls
- Exchange bias
-
Spin-dependent
electronic
transport
- Transport of free electron gas: spin-orbit interaction
- Giant magnetoresitance
- Spin tunneling
-
Spintronic
devices
- Magnetic recording: hard drive, MRAM
- Spin FET
- All spin-logic processor
- Quantum computing processor
Textbooks (required textbooks, reserved in the library)
"Modern
Magnetic
Materials:
Principles
and
Applications",
by
Robert
C.
O'Handley
"Introduction
to
Spintronics",
by
Supriyo
Bandyopadhyay
and
Marc
Cahay
Grading scheme
5 marked assignments: one assignment every two lectures.
Midterm
exam:
None
Final
exam:
Apr.8
–
Apr.24
(tba)
Final
grading:
Assignment
10%
each
-
Final
exam
50%
Closed-book exams, only simple calculators allowed. All the collected assignments / exams will be scanned and saved digitally for future references.
Additional university policies
Academic integrity
In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility.
Grievance
A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70, Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4. When in doubt please be certain to contact the department’s administrative assistant who will pro- vide further assistance.
Discipline
A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity to avoid committing an academic offence, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course instructor, academic advisor, or the undergraduate Associate Dean. For information on categories of offences and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71, Student Discipline. For typical penalties check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties.
Appeals
A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70 (Student Petitions and Grievances) (other than a petition) or Policy 71 (Student Discipline) may be appealed if there is a ground. A student who believes he/she has a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72 (Student Appeals).
Note for students with disabilities
The Office for Persons with Disabilities (OPD), located in Needles Hall, Room 1132, collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the OPD at the beginning of each academic term.