Scientists have developed the world's best-performing pure spin current source[1] made of bismuth-antimony (BiSb) alloys, which they report as the best candidate for the first industrial application of topological insulators[2]. The achievement represents a big step forward in the development of spin-orbit torque magnetoresistive random-access memory (SOT-MRAM)[3] devices with the potential to replace existing memory technologies.

 

A research team led by Pham Nam Hai at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), has developed thin films of BiSb for a topological insulator that simultaneously achieves a colossal spin Hall effect[4] and high electrical conductivity.

 

Their study, published in Nature Materials, could accelerate the development of high-density, ultra-low power, and ultra-fast non-volatile memories for Internet of Things (IoT) and other applications now becoming increasingly in demand for industrial and home use.

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