January 2026

Researchers at the University of Waterloo recently demonstrated fully electrical, field‑free control of perpendicular magnetization using spin‑orbit torque (SOT) in a low‑symmetry 2D magnet/topological‑insulator heterostructure, paving the way for scalable, energy‑efficient spintronic memory and logic devices.

Stacking the three-fold symmetry of BiSbTe on top of the two-fold symmetry of intercalated-CrTe, the interface only permits a unidirectional symmetry which produces an extremely strong out-of-plane spin torque and can deterministically switch a very hard, perpendicular magnet with ease. Image credit: University of Waterloo  

Modern MRAM and related spintronic memories need dense, robust perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) bits that can be switched deterministically with low energy consumption, but conventional SOT easily switches only in‑plane moments and typically requires an external bias field to tilt perpendicular spins “up” or “down”. In perpendicular configurations, bits point out of the film plane, which boosts storage density but makes the energy‑efficient, fully electrical control of their state difficult. Standard heavy‑metal/ferromagnet stacks already break out‑of‑plane symmetry and can support in‑plane switching, yet deterministic out‑of‑plane reversal demands breaking additional in‑plane symmetries - usually via an applied magnetic field, which adds circuit complexity, power overhead, and risks cross‑talk between neighboring bits.

A research team, led by Associate Professor Hironori Yamaguchi at Osaka Metropolitan University, has found that the Kondo effect behaves differently depending on spin size. In systems with small spins, it suppresses magnetism, but when spins are larger, it actually promotes magnetic order. This discovery highlights a new quantum boundary with major implications for future materials.

The team created a new type of Kondo necklace using a carefully engineered organic inorganic hybrid material made from organic radicals and nickel ions. This precise design was achieved using RaX-D, a molecular design framework that allows fine control over crystal structure and magnetic interactions. The researchers had previously succeeded in building a spin-1/2 Kondo necklace. In their latest work, they extended the system by increasing the localized spin (decollated spin) from 1/2 to 1. Thermodynamic measurements revealed a clear phase transition, showing that the system entered a magnetically ordered state.

Researchers from Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Yancheng Polytechnic College and Soochow University have investigated spin transport in spintronic devices built from rhombus-shaped nanographenes (RNGs) contacted by zigzag graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR) electrodes via carbon chains. These RNGs exhibit measurable magnetic exchange coupling and robust all‑carbon magnetism, making them promising candidates for room‑temperature spintronic applications.

In the parallel magnetic configuration of the two ZGNR electrodes, the devices show a pronounced spin‑filtering effect that allows only spin‑up electrons to pass through. The connection geometry between the RNGs and the carbon chains is found to strongly influence the quantum transport characteristics.

An international team of researchers, led by Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), has directly observed how electron spins behave in real space, providing a new understanding of this complex interaction. 

The phenomenon where electron spins align in a specific direction after passing through chiral materials is crucial for future spin-based electronics, yet the underlying mechanism has been unclear. The team’s work shows that chiral materials actively change the spin orientation of electrons, overturning the long-held belief that these materials simply filter spins without affecting their direction.