Bistable Voltage Transition Using Spin-Orbit Interaction in a Ferromagnet-Semiconductor Hybrid Structure

A traveling electron in the high mobility layer with asymmetric charge distribution induces an effective magnetic field that creates an imbalance of spin-up and spin-down energy levels. If a ferromagnet contacts a two-dimensional electron gas layer, the potential depends on the magnetization direction of the ferromagnetic detector. Two different potential levels can be assigned to ldquo0rdquo and ldquo1rdquo states of nonvolatile memory. This new concept of nonvolatile memory using spin-orbit interaction does not need complex magnetic tunneling layers and additional word writing lines.