Seoul, South Korea – 10 September 2025
In a major breakthrough for the field of spintronics, a joint research team from Korea University and Seoul National University has successfully created magnetic nanohelices that can control electron spin at room temperature. This innovation, which uses the geometric properties of a material to filter electron spins, could pave the way for a new generation of faster, more energy-efficient computers and devices.
Spintronics, a revolutionary field of electronics, aims to process information using not just the charge of an electron but also its intrinsic angular momentum, known as spin. While spintronics promises a future of computing with significantly lower power consumption and less heat, a major hurdle has been the ability to precisely and efficiently control electron spin under normal operating conditions. Now, a team of South Korean scientists has addressed this challenge with a novel approach, using tiny, spiral-shaped magnets to do the work.
Headlines:
* Spintronics Breakthrough: Researchers in South Korea have developed a method to control electron spin at room temperature using magnetic nanohelices, a significant step toward practical spintronics technology.
* Geometry as a Spin Filter: The team discovered that the “handedness,” or chirality, of the nanohelices allows them to filter electron spins. Right-handed spirals allow one spin direction to pass, while blocking the opposite.
* Over 80% Spin Polarization: The new nanohelices achieve a spin polarization of over 80% using only their geometry and magnetism, a level of efficiency that has been difficult to achieve without complex and expensive equipment.
* Room Temperature Operation is Key: This technology works at room temperature, eliminating the need for complex and energy-intensive cryogenic cooling systems that have historically limited spintronics to specialized laboratory settings.
* A New “Chiral Spintronics” Field: The research introduces a new approach to engineering electron behavior through structural design, providing a new platform for future advancements in computing and data storage.
The research, published in the prestigious journal Science, details how the team, led by Professor Young Keun Kim of Korea University and Professor Ki Tae Nam of Seoul National University, created the tiny, spiral-shaped structures. Using an electrochemical method, they were able to precisely control the handedness of the spirals, which are just a few nanometers in size. This control over the material’s geometry proved to be the key to their success.
The scientists found that the nanohelices act as a “spin filter,” allowing electrons with a specific spin direction to pass through while blocking others. This is a crucial function for spintronics, as it allows for the manipulation and encoding of information. Crucially, the process works at room temperature, a monumental achievement that has eluded scientists for years. Traditional methods for controlling electron spin often require a complex mix of strong magnetic fields and extremely cold temperatures, making them impractical for commercial use.
This new technology, which combines structural chirality with the inherent magnetism of the material, represents a powerful convergence of geometry, magnetism, and spin transport. By demonstrating a method to control electron behavior without the need for complex external systems or cryogenics, the researchers have opened a new pathway for the development of highly efficient and powerful devices. The team believes this system could serve as a foundational platform for future advancements in memory and computing technologies, bringing spintronics from the lab into the real world.
