The material that could power tomorrow’s quantum devices
Imagine electronics that are faster, smarter, and use far less energy than today’s devices. Instead of relying only on electric charge, future technologies may use the spin of electrons—a tiny quantum property that can act like an on/off switch. This is the idea behind spintronics, and scientists are racing to find materials that can control spins easily.
A key phenomenon in spintronics is the Rashba effect, which appears in materials that are not perfectly symmetric. It splits electron energy levels depending on their spin and allows scientists to control spins using simple electric fields—no magnets required.
In a recent publication Tuning Rashba spin textures in asymmetric Bi2O2Se monolayer for spintronic applications the KTH researchers Raquel Lizarraga and Deobrat Singh together with a fellow researcher Yogesh Sonvane from Surat, India, explored a special ultra-thin material called Bi₂O₂Se (bismuth oxychalcogenide). When made into a single atomic layer with an asymmetric structure, this material naturally creates an internal electric field. This built-in field triggers a strong Rashba effect—something that does not happen in the bulk version of the material.
Even more exciting, the Rashba effect in this material is tunable. By stretching the material or applying an external electric field, researchers can increase or decrease the spin splitting.
‘’This means spins can be controlled, opening the door to spin-based transistors and quantum devices. The material is also stable and can survive mechanical strain, making it realistic for future technology” says Deobrat Singh, postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KTH.
These discoveries suggest that asymmetric Bi₂O₂Se could become a powerful platform for next-generation electronics, quantum computing, and advanced sensors. With the ability to control spins electrically, this 2D material brings us one step closer to ultra-fast, low-power, and quantum-ready devices.
“One of the neat things about 2D materials is that they can behave very differently from their bulk counterparts. Here, the Rashba spin splitting is clearly present, unlike in the bulk material where it’s essentially absent, making this 2D system especially promising for spin-based electronics,” says docent, Raquel Lizárraga at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KTH.
Text: Rita Nõu