magnetoelectronic

Magnetoelectronics refers to the study and engineering of electronic devices that exploit the spin degree of freedom of electrons in addition to their charge, using magnetic properties to control current flow and information processing. The field encompasses spin-dependent transport in ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic materials, spin injection and detection, and the manipulation of magnetization at the nanoscale.

A central theme is magnetoresistance, where the electrical resistance of a device changes with the relative orientation of magnetic moments. Notable effects include giant magnetoresistance (GMR) and tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) observed in ferromagnet–nonmagnet multilayers and magnetic tunnel junctions, respectively. Spin polarization and diffusion, interface scattering, and spin relaxation govern device performance.

Historically linked to the development of spintronics in the late 1980s and early 1990s, magnetoelectronics has helped enable practical technologies such as read sensors for hard disk drives and nonvolatile memory like magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM). Structures such as spin valves and magnetic tunnel junctions are common building blocks.

Beyond sensing, magnetoelectronic concepts underpin proposals for spin-based transistors, logic devices, and quantum information components, though challenges remain in material quality, room-temperature operation, power consumption, and manufacturability.

Related fields include spintronics and magnonics, which study spin currents and spin waves, respectively. The term magnetoelectronics is sometimes used interchangeably with spin electronics to emphasize devices that exploit spin-dependent electronic transport.