All-electric spintronics through surface/interface effects

Spintronics is an emerging area of nanoscale electronics involving the spin injection, transport, modulation and detection, and so on (Wolf et al., 2001; Žutic et al., 2004; Bader and Parkin, 2010; Ohno, 2010). It aims at developing devices based on the control of spin degree of freedom and is of great importance in revolutionizing conventional electronics. Spintronics devices are considered a major candidate for next-generation electronic devices with ultra-high speed and ultra-low power consumption, as spin responds quickly and generates less thermal energy. Different systems, including semiconductors, metals, semiconductor/metal interface, transition metal oxides, and carbon nanostructures, can be good functional materials for spintronics.