Spin XOR Gate in Ferromagnet-Nonmagnet Heterostructures

Current data search devices rely on complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Although CMOS has long been the gold standard, it is limited by the number of words that can be used. Researchers at University at Buffalo have developed a device capable of combining non-volatile memory with spin based-processing to dramatically increase processing speed and lowering the power requirement of many CMOS logic gates. Spin-based processing is utilized in spin transport electronic devices, or spintronic devices, which are devices that use the spin of electrons, their magnetic moment and charge to process information. By creating a device that uses several ferromagnets, the researchers were able to demonstrate the successful operation of an XOR gate, which operated faster and with less power than current XOR gates. This device has potential applications in parallel data processing, manufacturing of content addressable memories, and pattern recognition.