Two vertical helical spirals, one teal and one purple, each mounted on a metallic square base with a light gradient background.

Chiral Spintronics

Chirality, the property that distinguishes an object from its mirror image, is a fundamental asymmetry of nature, and is ubiquitous from elementary particles to complex many-particle systems. Chirality plays a pivotal role in many physical phenomena and gives rise to remarkable stability against external perturbations. Harnessing the unique advantages of different chiralities, particularly in combination with the electron's spin, holds immense promise for advancing modern technologies. KOMQUEST aims to unlock the potential of spin-chirality, paving the way for groundbreaking developments in energy-efficient electronics. KOMQUEST aims to drive the emerging field of chiral electronics, opening new horizons for technologies rooted in the principles of chirality.

Diagrams depicting mechanisms of spin transport, including spin alignment, current flow, and thermal effects in layered magnetic and antiferromagnetic materials. — Aspects of chiral spintronics. A. Schematic of chiral non-collinear antiferromagnet based racetrack (Rimmler et al. Nat. Rev. Mater. (2024). B. Superconducting proximity effect through a chiral NCAF based JJ (Jeon et al. Nat. Mater. 21, 1008 (2022). C. Chiral twisted tunnel junction using 2D vdWs materials (Chen et al. Nature 632, 1045 (2024).

© MPI of Microstructure Physics

Aspects of chiral spintronics. A. Schematic of chiral non-collinear antiferromagnet based racetrack (Rimmler et al. Nat.
Rev. Mater. (2024). B. Superconducting proximity effect through a chiral NCAF based JJ (Jeon et al. Nat. Mater. 21, 1008 (2022).
C. Chiral twisted tunnel junction using 2D vdWs materials (Chen et al. Nature 632, 1045 (2024).

© MPI of Microstructure Physics

Objectives:
1. Chiral tunnel junctions

Tunnel junctions involving chiral non-collinear anti-ferromagnets
Twist assisted chiral tunnel junctions involving 2D tunnel barriers

2. Spin dynamics and critical phenomena in 2D and in extreme conditions

Ultrafast and ultraslow spin-fluctuations in 2D materials
High frequency measurements of the dynamics

3. Chiral phonons and Magnons

Generation and detection of chiral phonons and magnons
Angular momentum transfer from chiral phonons or magnons to spins