2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Engineering Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Graduate major in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Magnetism and Spintronics
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Nam Hai Pham
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Class
- -
- Course Code
- EEE.D511
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 24, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The magnetic dipole moment of electrons originates from their orbital and spin degrees of freedom. In magnetism, the macroscopic ordering of magnetic dipole moments is controlled for applications to magnetic recording. On the other hand, spintronics deals with spin-polarized currents for applications to magnetic sensors and magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM).
In this course, magnetic and spintronic properties of solids are lectured based on quantum mechanics and solid state physics. Fundamental theories of magnetism, and spintronic phenomena (giant magnetoresistance, tunneling magnetoresistance, anomalous Hall effect, spin Hall effect) will be lectured. Magnetic and spintronic devices (magnetic recording, magnetic sensor, MRAM) will be explained.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to understand the principles of magnetism and spintronics as the basics of magnetic and spintronic devices, such as magnetic recording, magnetic sensors, and magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), and semiconductor spintronic device.
1) Understand fundamentals of magnetism
2) Understand magnetic anisotropy
3）Understand various spin-dependent transport phenomena （giant magnetoresistance, tunneling magnetoresistance, anomalous Hall effect, spin Hall effect）
4）Understand the device structure, operating principle, and materials of magnetoresistive memory (MRAM)
5）Understand the spin-transfer torque phenomenon as a new data writing mechanism of MRAM
Keywords
Ferromagnets, magnetic recording, magnetic sensor, giant magnetoresistance, tunneling magnetoresistance, anomalous Hall effect, spin Hall effect, MRAM, spin transfer torque
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
If there are assignments, their solutions will be reviewed in the first half of the next class.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Angular momentum of electrons (orbital and spin) as magnetic dipoles, paramagnetism, exchange interaction and ferromagnetism | Understand that angular momentums of electron, such as orbit and spin, are regarded as origins of atomic magnetic dipole moment. Understand paramagnetism as the most simple alignment of magnetic dipole moments under a magnetic field. Understand exchange interaction of electrons as the origin of ferromagnetism. |
| Class 2 | Magnetic anisotropy | Understand magnetic anisotropies of materials and their origins. |
| Class 3 | Spin-dependent transport phenomena I: Giant magnetoresistance effect - Giant magnetoresistance in ferromagnetic metal / non-magnetic metal / ferromagnetic metal artificial lattices | Explain the giant magnetoresistance effect and its microscopic mechanism |
| Class 4 | Spin-dependent transport phenomena II: Tunneling magnetoressitance effect - Tunneling magnetoresistance effect in ferromagnet / insulator / ferromagnet magnetic tunnel junctions | Explain the tunneling magnetoresistance effect and its microscopic mechanism |
| Class 5 | Spin-dependent transport phenomena III: Anomalous Hall effect and Spin Hall effect - Anomalous Hall effect and spin Hall effect due to intrinsic / extrinsic mechanism | Explain the anomalous Hall effect and spin Hall effect and its microscopic mechanism |
| Class 6 | Magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) I: structure and operating principle - MRAM device structure, operating principle, and materials | Explain the device structure, operating principle, and materials of MRAM |
| Class 7 | Magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) II: spin-transfer torque - Spin-transfer torque as a new data writing mechanism for MRAM | Explain the spin-transfer torque phenomenon as a new data writing mechanism for MRAM |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
None required.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Charles, Kittel. Introduction to Solid State Physics. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN-13: 978-0471415268
Chikazumi, Soshin. Physics of Ferromagnetism. Oxford University Press. ISBN-13: 978-0199564811
Stephen, Blundel. Magnetism in Condensed Matter. Oxford University Press. ISBN-13: 978-0198505914
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students will be assessed on their understanding of types of magnetism, spin-dependent scattering and transport phenomena in magnetic materials, and their applications to spintronics. Students’ course scores are based on reports (100%).
Related courses
- EEE.D201 ： Quantum Mechanics
Prerequisites
Students must have successfully completed the course "Quantum mechanics(EEE.D201)" or have equivalent knowledge.
Other
This lecture is also held as an activity of the Integrated Green-niX College in the Integrated Green-niX research and human resource development, supported by MEXT Initiative to Establish Next-generation Novel Integrated Circuits Centers (X-NICS) JPJ011438.