Development of spin photoelectric conversion functionalities

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K18962
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 29:Applied condensed matter physics and related fields
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Matsubara Masakazu 東北大学, 理学研究科, 准教授 (50450648)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-06-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 光電変換 / 渦状磁気配列 / 磁気トロイダル / 光電流

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we aimed to develop a new principle of photoelectric conversion, which converts light energy into electrical energy. The results revealed that magneto-photoelectric conversion can occur by using nanomagnets. Detailed measurements clearly showed that the origin of this phenomenon is the magnetic order (vortex-like magnetic arrangement) that breaks space inversion symmetry in nanomagnets. This finding is the first in the world to clearly demonstrate a novel photoelectric conversion function that is entirely different from conventional solar cells that utilize semiconductor p-n junction interfaces.

Free Research Field

光物性、光スピントロニクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、半導体p-n接合界面や強誘電体におけるバルク光起電力効果などのこれまで知られている光電変換原理ではなく、ナノ磁性体中に発生する渦状磁気配列による磁気光電変換を世界で初めて明瞭に観測することに成功したことに意義がある。今後は、ナノ磁性体の大きさ・形状・周期・配列・膜厚などを変えることで、渦状磁気配列による磁気光電変換の巨大化を目指す。また、本研究で観測した磁気光電変換は、渦状磁気配列の直接的かつ高感度なプローブとしての利用も期待される。