Interplay between Chirality, Spin Textures and Superconductivity at Manufactured Interfaces

Memories that operate at cryogenic temperatures are urgently needed to realize advanced quantum and superconducting computing systems that will enable more efficient and scalable computing systems beyond today’s reach.

SUPERMINT proposes to combine the latest advances in superconductivity and spintronics to build a novel SUPERTRACK cryogenic memory, that is high performance, non-volatile and that needs very low energy for its operation.

A major objective will be to demonstrate the generation and use of triplet supercurrents, that are dissipation-less, but which carry spin-angular momentum, to move chiral domain walls in magnetic racetracks.

A second major objective will be to explore the origin and utilize our recent discovery of a non-reciprocal Josephson diode effect, to build a novel device to detect magnetic fields and thereby “read” magnetic domain walls for SUPERTRACK.

These objectives will be met by exploring and designing “manufactured interfaces” or MINTs that combine superconducting and magnetic ultra-thin layers using an advanced complex of thin film deposition systems that I have constructed over the past 5-years.

To achieve these objectives, fundamental breakthroughs are needed in the preparation of MINTs with high-quality interfaces.

A wide-ranging exploration of MINTs formed from superconducting layers with chiral antiferromagnets, homo-chiral layers of chiral compounds, especially from the B20 family of materials, and geometrical chiral structures will be undertaken.

In addition, the concept of obstructed atomic insulators that we have recently developed will be used to identify novel interfaces of insulating materials that are metallic and, thereby, to explore the possibility of making these superconducting by pairing electrons via chiral antiferromagnetic fluctuations in adjacent layers.