Program Structure

Module 1: Spintronics—The Big Idea

• Why traditional electronics faces power and scaling limits.
• Charge vs spin: how spin becomes an information carrier.
• What spintronics enables: non-volatile memory, fast switching, sensitive sensing.
• Technology map: sensors, MRAM, logic concepts, neuromorphic ideas (high-level).

Module 2: Nanoscale Magnetism Made Simple

• Magnetic domains, anisotropy, coercivity—explained with intuition.
• Why thin films behave differently than bulk magnets.
• Exchange bias and interlayer coupling (conceptual view).
• Thermal stability and why nanoscale devices can “forget” over time.

Module 3: Spin-Dependent Transport (GMR and TMR)

• Spin polarization and scattering: why resistance changes with magnet alignment.
• GMR basics: multilayers, spin valves, and how modern sensors became possible.
• TMR basics: tunneling through ultra-thin barriers in MTJs.
• Key performance ideas: magnetoresistance ratio, noise, and switching stability.

Module 4: Nanotechnology Innovations that Power Spintronics

• Thin film deposition overview: sputtering/evaporation/ALD (high-level).
• Interface engineering: roughness, diffusion, oxidation, and why “clean layers” matter.
• Nanopatterning basics: lithography, etching, and variability at small nodes.
• Stack engineering mindset: every layer has a job (pinning, switching, tunneling, protection).

Module 5: MTJs and MRAM (From Lab to Product)

• MTJ anatomy: free layer, barrier, reference layer (simple roles).
• MRAM concepts: reading/writing, endurance, retention, and speed trade-offs.
• Switching approaches: STT vs SOT (what changes and why it matters).
• Where MRAM is used: embedded memory, low-power systems, edge devices.

Module 6: Spin–Orbitronics (Faster, Lower Power Switching)

• Spin–orbit coupling and why heavy metals/interfaces are powerful.
• Spin Hall effect and Rashba effects (intuition-first).
• Spin–orbit torque (SOT): switching advantages and integration considerations.
• Materials trends: engineering stacks for higher torque efficiency.

Module 7: Skyrmions and Beyond (New Storage + Logic Ideas)

• Skyrmions as nano-magnetic “whirlpools”: why they’re promising for ultra-dense memory.
• Racetrack memory concepts and the role of nanoscale pinning/defects.
• Topological materials: robust spin transport ideas at a high level.
• Reality check: what’s commercial, what’s prototype, what’s research-stage.

Module 8: 2D Materials and Hybrid Spintronics

• Graphene spin transport and why it’s interesting.
• 2D semiconductors (TMDs): proximity effects and spin–valley concepts (high-level).
• Van der Waals heterostructures: stacking materials for new spin behaviors.
• Challenges: contacts, stability, reproducibility, scaling.

Module 9: Characterization, Reliability, and Scaling

• Electrical testing: MR curves, switching loops, read/write characterization.
• Magnetic tools overview: MOKE, VSM, SQUID (what each reveals).
• Structural checks: SEM/TEM/AFM for layer thickness, defects, and interfaces.
• Reliability: endurance, retention, thermal drift, breakdown, and failure modes.

Final Project

• Create a Spintronic Device Concept Brief (MRAM cell / magnetic sensor / skyrmion memory idea).
• Include: target use-case, materials stack, nanofabrication approach (high-level), expected performance metrics, and a testing plan.
• Example themes: “SOT-MRAM stack concept,” “GMR sensor for industrial monitoring,” or “skyrmion track memory proposal.”