Zinc Oxide-based Spintronic Devices

Zinc oxide is a versatile material, with a wide direct band gap (~3.3eV) with the potential for highly efficient light emitters and detectors, very high radiation hardness, and has high electromechanical coupling coefficients. In addition, transition metal doped ZnO has potential for sprintronics applications. This project will develop the mechanisms for realization of new spintronics devices based on the ZnO material system. Applications for spintronics devices will continue to emerge as their capabilities expand. In the case of ZnO devices, UV lasers with spin-selective transitions for polarized radiation, Modulation of polarization with external bias or magnetic fields, and sensors taking advantage of the properties of ZnO are just a few of the potential applications.