GaN-based Spin Transistor

WaveBand Corporation proposes to develop and demonstrate a GaN-based spin-transistor (spin-FET) that will operate 10 times faster and consume 10 times less power when compared to currently available field effect transistors (FETs) by a) forming a built-in strong electric field perpendicular to the two-dimensional (2D) channel containing spin-polarized carriers; b) taking advantage of the ferromagnetic features of source and drain contacts, Mn- and Fe-doped GaN semiconductors; and c) using nanotechnology for transistor channel fabrication. The spin-FET will operate in several modes: a) a fast transistor mode; b) a floating gate mode (in this mode it may serve as a memory read-out device), and c) a super-sensitive magnetic field sensing mode that employs the direct influence of the electron spin state on the transport in the channel between two magnetic contacts. The spin-FET device will have a major impact on future MMIC technology by improving the power performance per unit cell of MMIC by a factor of ten. The embodiment of this technology will be in spin transistors, spin light-emitting diodes, and spin-transport memory cells. The performance of low noise amplifiers will be greatly enhanced by this technology.