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We investigated the reactivity of layered GeAs in the presence of oxygen and/or water using synchrotron-based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio calculations.

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) materials provide the possibility of realizing heterostructures with coveted properties. Here, we report a theoretical investigation of the vdW magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) based on VSe2/MoS2 heterojunction, where the VSe2 monolayer acts as the ferromagnet with the room-temperature ferromagnetism. We propose the concept of spin-orbit torque (SOT) vdW MTJ with reliable reading and efficient writing operations. The non-equilibrium study reveals a large tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of 846 % at 300 Kelvin, identifying significantly its parallel and anti-parallel states. Thanks to the strong spin Hall conductivity of MoS2, SOT is promising for the magnetization switching of VSe2 free layer. Quantum-well states come into being and resonances appear in MTJ, suggesting that the voltage control can adjust transport properties effectively. The SOT vdW MTJ based on VSe2/MoS2 provides desirable performance and experimental feasibility, offering new opportunities for 2D spintronics.

We report a comprehensive study on the intrinsic spin Hall conductivity (SHC) of semimetals MoTe2 and WTe2 by ab initio calculation. Large SHC and desirable spin Hall angles have been discovered, due to the strong spin orbit coupling effect and low charge conductivity in semimetals. Diverse anisotropic SHC values, attributed to the unusual reduced-symmetry crystalline structure, have been revealed. We report an effective method on SHC optimization by electron doping, and exhibit the mechanism of SHC variation respect to the energy shifting by the spin Berry curvature. Our work provides insights into the realization of strong spin Hall effects in 2D systems.

Heavy metals with strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) have been employed to generate spin current to control the magnetization dynamics by spin-orbit torque (SOT). Magnetic tunnel junction based on SOT (SOT-MTJ) is a promising application with efficient writing operation. Unfortunately, SOT-MTJ faces the low tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) problem. In this work, we present an ab initio calculation on the TMR in SOT-MTJ. It is demonstrated that TMR would be enhanced by SOT-MTJ symmetry structure. The symmetrization induces interfacial resonant states (IRSs). When IRSs match identical resonances at the opposite barrier interface, resonant tunneling occurs in SOT-MTJ, which significantly contributes to the conductance in parallel configuration and improves TMR. We demonstrate the occurrence of resonant tunneling by transmission spectra, density of scattering states and differential density of states. We also point out that the thickness of heavy metal has limited influence on TMR. This work would benefit the TMR optimization in SOT-MTJ, as well as the SOT spintronics device.

Spintronics, which utilizes spin as information carrier, is a promising solution for nonvolatile memory and low-power computing in the post-Moore era. An important challenge is to realize long distance spin transport, together with efficient manipulation of spin current for novel logic-processing applications. Here, we describe a gate-variable spin current demultiplexer (GSDM) based on graphene, serving as a fundamental building block of reconfigurable spin current logic circuits. The concept relies on electrical gating of carrier density dependent conductivity and spin diffusion length in graphene. As a demo, GSDM is realized for both single-layer and bilayer graphene. The distribution and propagation of spin current in the two branches of GSDM depend on spin relaxation characteristics of graphene. Compared with Elliot-Yafet spin relaxation mechanism, D'yakonov-Perel mechanism results in more appreciable gate-tuning performance. These unique features of GSDM would give rise to abundant spin logic applications, such as on-chip spin current modulators and reconfigurable spin logic circuits., Comment: 18 pages,3 figures,1 table

It has been reported in experiments that capping layers which enhance the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) induce great impact on the tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR). To explore the essential influence caused by capping layers, we carry out ab initio calculations on TMR in the X(001)|CoFe(001)|MgO(001)|CoFe(001)|X(001) MTJ, where X represents the capping layer material which can be tungsten, tantalum or hafnium. We report TMR in different MTJs and demonstrate that tungsten is an ideal candidate for a giant TMR ratio. The transmission spectrum in Brillouin zone is presented. It can be seen that in the parallel condition of MTJ, sharp transmission peaks appear in the minority-spin channel. This phenomenon is attributed to the resonant tunnel transmission effect and we explained it by the layer-resolved density of states (DOS). In order to explore transport properties in MTJs, the density of scattering states (DOSS) was studied from the point of band symmetry. It has been found that CoFe|tungsten interface blocks scattering states transmission in the anti-parallel condition. This work reports TMR and transport properties in MTJs with different capping layers, and proves that tungsten is a proper capping layer material, which would benefit the design and optimization of MTJs.

All-spin logic device (ASLD) has attracted increasing interests as one of the most promising post-CMOS device candidates, thanks to its low power, non-volatility and logic-in-memory structure. Here we investigate the key current-limiting factors and develop a physics-based model of ASLD through nano-magnet switching, the spin transport properties and the breakdown characteristic of channel. First, ASLD with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) nano-magnet is proposed to reduce the critical current (Ic0). Most important, the spin transport efficiency can be enhanced by analyzing the device structure, dimension, contact resistance as well as material parameters. Furthermore, breakdown current density (JBR) of spin channel is studied for the upper current limitation. As a result, we can deduce current-limiting conditions and estimate energy dissipation. Based on the model, we demonstrate ASLD with different structures and channel materials (graphene and copper). Asymmetric structure is found to be the optimal option for current limitations. Copper channel outperforms graphene in term of energy but seriously suffers from breakdown current limit. By exploring the current limit and performance tradeoffs, the optimization of ASLD is also discussed. This benchmarking model of ASLD opens up new prospects for design and implementation of future spintronics applications.

In this letter, we propose the resonant tunneling diode (RTD) based on a double-barrier graphene/boron nitride (BN) heterostructure as device suitable to take advantage of the elaboration of atomic sheets containing different domains of BN and C phases within a hexagonal lattice. The device operation and performance are investigated by means of a self- consistent model within the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism on a tight-binding Hamiltonian. This RTD exhibits a negative differential conductance effect which involves the resonant tunneling through both the electron and hole bound states of the graphene quantum well. It is shown that the peak- to-valley ratio can reach the value of 4 at room temperature for gapless graphene and the value of 13 for a bandgap of 50 meV., Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures

We investigate the transport characteristics of monolayer graphene p-n junctions by means of the non-equilibrium Green's function technique. It is shown that thanks to the high interband tunneling of chiral fermions and to a finite bandgap opening when the inversion symmetry of graphene plane is broken, a strong negative-differential-conductance behavior with peak-to-valley ratio as large as a few tens can be achieved even at room temperature. The dependence of this behavior on the device parameters such as the Fermi energy, the barrier height, and the transition length is then discussed., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures

Using the non-equilibrium Green's functions formalism in a tight binding model, the spin-dependent transport in armchair graphene nanoribbon (GNR) structures controlled by a ferromagnetic gate is investigated. Beyond the oscillatory behavior of conductance and spin polarization with respect to the barrier height, which can be tuned by the gate voltage, we especially analyze the effect of width-dependent band gap and the nature of contacts. The oscillation of spin polarization in the GNRs with a large band gap is strong in comparison with 2D-graphene structures. Very high spin polarization (close to 100%) is observed in normal-conductor/graphene/normal-conductor junctions. Moreover, we find that the difference of electronic structure between normal conductor and graphene generates confined states in the device which have a strong influence on the transport quantities. It suggests that the device should be carefully designed to obtain high controllability of spin current., Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures

Carbon Nanotube (CNT) appears as a promising candidate to shrink field-effect transistors (FET) to the nanometer scale. Extensive experimental works have been performed recently to develop the appropriate technology and to explore DC characteristics of carbon nanotube field effect transistor (CNTFET). In this work, we present results of Monte Carlo simulation of a coaxially gated CNTFET including electron-phonon scattering. Our purpose is to present the intrinsic transport properties of such material through the evaluation of electron mean-free-path. To highlight the potential of high performance level of CNTFET, we then perform a study of DC characteristics and of the impact of capacitive effects. Finally, we compare the performance of CNTFET with that of Si nanowire MOSFET., Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures, final version to be published in C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris

The concept of mobility is discussed in the case of unstrained and strained nanoscale DG MOSFET thanks to particle Monte Carlo device simulation. Without the introduction of specific scattering phenomenon for short channel devices, the apparent mobility extracted from simulated electrical characteristics decreases with the shrinking of the channel length, as experimentally observed elsewhere. We show that this reduction at room temperature is caused by non stationary effects. Moreover, both simulation results and experimental data may be well reproduced by a Mathiessen-like model, using a "ballistic mobility" extracted from MC simulations together with the usual long channel mobility., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, ESSDERC 2007, Munich, Germany

Multiple-gate SOI MOSFETs with gate length equal to 25 nm are compared using device Monte Carlo simulation. In such architectures, the short channel effects may be controlled with much less stringent body and oxide thickness requirements than in single-gate MOSFET. Our results highlight that planar double-gate MOSFET is a good candidate to obtain both high current drive per unit-width and weak subthreshold leakage with large integration density and aggressive delay time, compared to non planar devices such as triple-gate or quadruple-gate structures., Comment: 4 pages, 10 figures, ULIS 2005 Proceedings

The scattering effects are studied in nanometer-scaled double-gate MOSFET, using Monte Carlo simulation. The non-equilibrium transport in the channel is analyzed with the help of the spectroscopy of the number of scatterings experienced by electrons. We show that the number of ballistic electrons at the drain end, even in terms of flux, is not the only relevant characteristic of ballistic transport. Then the drive current in the 15 nm-long channel transistor generations should be very close to the value obtained in the ballistic limit even if all electrons are not ballistic. Additionally, most back-scattering events which deteriorates the ON current, take place in the first half of the channel and in particular in the first low field region. However, the contribution of the second half of the channel can not be considered as negligible in any studied case i.e. for a channel length below 25 nm. Furthermore, the contribution of the second half of the channel tends to be more important as the channel length is reduced. So, in ultra short channel transistors, it becomes very difficult to extract a region of the channel which itself determine the drive current Ion., Comment: 27 pages, 13 figures, submitted to IEEE Trans. Electron. Dev., corrected typos, conclusions clarified, less meaningful figures suppressed

This paper discusses the influence of the channel impurity distribution on the transport and the drive current in short-gate MOSFET. In this purpose, a careful description of electron-ion interaction suitable for the case of discrete impurities has been implemented in a 3D particle Monte Carlo simulator. This transport model is applied to the investigation of 50 nm MOSFET operation. The results show that a small change in the number of doping impurities or in the position of a single discrete impurity in the inversion layer may significantly influence the drain current. This effect is not only related to threshold voltage fluctuations but also to variations in transport properties in the inversion layer, especially at high drain voltage. The results are analyzed in terms of local fluctuations of electron velocity and current density. In a set of fifteen simulated devices the drive current Ion, determined at VGS = VDS = 0.6 V, is found to vary in a range of 23% according to the position of channel impurities., Comment: 31 pages, 13 figures, revised version: discussions and references added, to be published in IEEE Trans. Electron. Devices