November 2016

Researchers from National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) demonstrated that it is feasible to grow an epitaxial Fe3O4 film on a flexible muscovite. The thin film was characterized by several methods and found preserve the electrical and magnetic properties of Fe3O4. The researchers performed bending tests to confirm that the heterostructures retain the physical properties under repeated cycles. 

The researchers conclude their paper, saying that the material is a promising candidate for flexible spintronics devices, based on the tunneling magnetoresistance on the flexible muscovite.

Researchers from Grennole Alpes University in France have demonstrated using atomistic calculations that a lateral electric field can be used to tune the carrier mobility and change the spin polarization of the current driving through zigzag graphene ribbons. The researchers say that these effects can be nicely exploited in spintronics devices.

The calculations predict a high variation of the carrier mobility, mean free path and spin polarization in the ZGNRs. It turns out that configurations with almost 100% spin-polarized current can be switched on and off.

Researchers from New York University developed a new a new manufacturing process for tungsten disulfide that resulted in highest quality ever reported for the material. The process is based on chemical vapor deposition (CVD), with some "subtle yet critical" changes. 

The high-quality material provided a large energy bandgap and its charge carriers had a small effective mass. The material also exhibited strong spin-orbit coupling, which means that it may be an interesting material for spintronics.