Spinmechatronics is

neologism In linguistics, a neologism (; also known as a coinage) is any newly formed word, term, or phrase that has achieved popular or institutional recognition and is becoming accepted into mainstream language. Most definitively, a word can be considered ...

referring to an emerging field of research concerned with the exploitation of

spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...

-dependent phenomena and established

spintronic Spintronics (a portmanteau meaning spin transport electronics), also known as spin electronics, is the study of the intrinsic spin of the electron and its associated magnetic moment, in addition to its fundamental electronic charge, in solid-sta ...

methodologies and technologies in conjunction with electro-mechanical, magno-mechanical, acousto-mechanical and opto-mechanical systems. Most especially, spinmechatronics (or spin mechatronics) concerns the integration of

micro- ''Micro'' (Greek letter μ, Mu (letter), mu, non-Italic type, italic) is a metric prefix, unit prefix in the metric system denoting a factor of one millionth (10−6). It comes from the Ancient Greek, Greek word (), meaning "small". It is the ...

and

nano- Nano (symbol n) is a unit prefix meaning one billionth. Used primarily with the metric system, this prefix denotes a factor of 10−9 or . It is frequently encountered in science and electronics for prefixing units of time and length. The p ...

mechatronic Mechatronics engineering, also called mechatronics, is the synergistic integration of mechanical, electrical, and computer systems employing mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering and computer engineering, and also ...

systems with

physics and

spintronics Spintronics (a portmanteau meaning spin transport electronics), also known as spin electronics, is the study of the intrinsic spin of the electron and its associated magnetic moment, in addition to its fundamental electronic charge, in solid-st ...

History and origins

While spinmechatronics has been recognised only recently (2008) as an independent field, hybrid

-mechanical system development dates back to the early nineteen-nineties, with devices combining

and

micromechanics Micromechanics (or, more precisely, micromechanics of materials) is the analysis of heterogeneous materials including of composite, and anisotropic and orthotropic materials on the level of the individual constituents that constitute them and th ...

emerging at the turn of the twenty-first century. One of the longest established spinmechatronic systems is the Magnetic Resonance Force Microscope or MRFM. First proposed by J. A. Sidles in a seminal paper of 1991 – and since extensively developed both theoretically and experimentally by a number of international research groups – the MRFM operates by coupling a magnetically loaded

mechanical cantilever to an excited nuclear,

proton A proton is a stable subatomic particle, symbol , Hydron (chemistry), H+, or 1H+ with a positive electric charge of +1 ''e'' (elementary charge). Its mass is slightly less than the mass of a neutron and approximately times the mass of an e ...

electron The electron (, or in nuclear reactions) is a subatomic particle with a negative one elementary charge, elementary electric charge. It is a fundamental particle that comprises the ordinary matter that makes up the universe, along with up qua ...

system. The MRFM concept effectively combines scanning atomic force microscopy ( AFM) with magnetic resonance

spectroscopy Spectroscopy is the field of study that measures and interprets electromagnetic spectra. In narrower contexts, spectroscopy is the precise study of color as generalized from visible light to all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. Spectro ...

to provide a spectroscopic tool of unparalleled sensitivity.

Nanometre 330px, Different lengths as in respect to the Molecule">molecular scale. The nanometre (international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: nm), or nanometer (American spelling), is a unit of length ...

resolution is possible, and the technique potentially forms the basis for ultra-high sensitivity, ultra-high resolution magnetic, biochemical, biomedical, and clinical diagnostics. The synergy of micromechanics and established

technologies for sensing applications is one of the most significant spinmechatronic developments of the last decade. At the beginning of this century, strain sensors incorporating magnetoresistive technologies emerged and a wide range of devices exploiting similar principles are likely to realize research and commercial potential by 2015. Contemporary innovation in spinmechatronics drives forward the independent advancement of cutting-edge science in spin physics,

and

mechatronics Mechatronics engineering, also called mechatronics, is the synergistic integration of mechanical, electrical, and computer systems employing mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering and computer engineering, and also ...

and catalyses the development of wholly new instrumentation,

control Control may refer to: Basic meanings Economics and business * Control (management), an element of management * Control, an element of management accounting * Comptroller (or controller), a senior financial officer in an organization * Controlling ...

and fabrication techniques to facilitate and exploit their integration.

Key constitutive technologies

Micro- and nano- mechatronics

MEMS MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) is the technology of microscopic devices incorporating both electronic and moving parts. MEMS are made up of components between 1 and 100 micrometres in size (i.e., 0.001 to 0.1 mm), and MEMS devices ...

electromechanical Electromechanics combine processes and procedures drawn from electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. Electromechanics focus on the interaction of electrical and mechanical systems as a whole and how the two systems interact with each ...

systems are the key ingredient of

. Micro-electromechanical systems are – as the name suggests – devices with significant dimensions in the micrometre regime or less. Highly suited to integration with electronic and microwave circuitry, they provide the key to electro-mechanical functionalities unachievable with classical precision

. Commercialisation of mass-produced

Microelectromechanical systems MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) is the technology of microscopic devices incorporating both electronic and moving parts. MEMS are made up of components between 1 and 100 micrometres in size (i.e., 0.001 to 0.1 mm), and MEMS devices ...

products is rapidly picking up pace and includes printer ink-jet technology, 3D

accelerometer An accelerometer is a device that measures the proper acceleration of an object. Proper acceleration is the acceleration (the rate of change (mathematics), rate of change of velocity) of the object relative to an observer who is in free fall (tha ...

s, integrated pressure sensors, and Digital Light Processing (DLP) displays. At the cutting edge of

fabrication and integration technologies are

systems ( NEMS). Typical examples are micrometres long, tens of

nanometre 330px, Different lengths as in respect to the Molecule">molecular scale. The nanometre (international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: nm), or nanometer (American spelling), is a unit of length ...

s thick, and have mechanical resonance frequencies approaching 100 MHz. Their small physical dimensions and mass (of order

pico- A metric prefix is a unit prefix that precedes a basic unit of measure to indicate a multiple or submultiple of the unit. All metric prefixes used today are decadic. Each prefix has a unique symbol that is prepended to any unit symbol. The pre ...

gram The gram (originally gramme; SI unit symbol g) is a Physical unit, unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI) equal to one thousandth of a kilogram. Originally defined in 1795 as "the absolute Mass versus weight, weight of a volume ...

s) makes them highly sensitive to changes in

stiffness Stiffness is the extent to which an object resists deformation in response to an applied force. The complementary concept is flexibility or pliability: the more flexible an object is, the less stiff it is. Calculations The stiffness, k, of a ...

; this, their synergy with mechanical and data processing systems, and the option of attaching chemical/ biological molecules, makes them ideal for ultra high-performance mechanical, chemical and biological sensing applications.

Spin physics

Spin physics is a broad and active area of

condensed-matter physics Condensed matter physics is the field of physics that deals with the macroscopic and microscopic physical properties of matter, especially the solid and liquid phases, that arise from electromagnetic forces between atoms and electrons. More gen ...

research. ‘

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...

’ in this context refers to a

quantum mechanical Quantum mechanics is the fundamental physical theory that describes the behavior of matter and of light; its unusual characteristics typically occur at and below the scale of atoms. Reprinted, Addison-Wesley, 1989, It is the foundation of a ...

property of certain

elementary particle In particle physics, an elementary particle or fundamental particle is a subatomic particle that is not composed of other particles. The Standard Model presently recognizes seventeen distinct particles—twelve fermions and five bosons. As a c ...

s and nuclei, and should not be confused with the classical (and better-known) concept of

rotation Rotation or rotational/rotary motion is the circular movement of an object around a central line, known as an ''axis of rotation''. A plane figure can rotate in either a clockwise or counterclockwise sense around a perpendicular axis intersect ...

. Spin physics spans studies of

nuclear Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the nucleus of the atom: *Nuclear engineering *Nuclear physics *Nuclear power *Nuclear reactor *Nuclear weapon *Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics * Nuclear space *Nuclear ...

and

magnetic resonance,

magnetism Magnetism is the class of physical attributes that occur through a magnetic field, which allows objects to attract or repel each other. Because both electric currents and magnetic moments of elementary particles give rise to a magnetic field, ...

, and certain areas of optics.

Spintronics Spintronics (a portmanteau meaning spin transport electronics), also known as spin electronics, is the study of the intrinsic spin of the electron and its associated magnetic moment, in addition to its fundamental electronic charge, in solid-st ...

is a branch of spin physics. Perhaps the two best known applications of spin physics are Magnetic Resonance Imaging (or

MRI Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to generate pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes inside the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and rad ...

) and the spintronic giant-magnetoresistive ( GMR)

hard disk A hard disk drive (HDD), hard disk, hard drive, or fixed disk is an electro-mechanical data storage device that stores and retrieves digital data using magnetic storage with one or more rigid rapidly rotating hard disk drive platter, pla ...

read head.

Spintronics

Spintronic

magnetoresistance Magnetoresistance is the tendency of a material (often ferromagnetic) to change the value of its electrical resistance in an externally-applied magnetic field. There are a variety of effects that can be called magnetoresistance. Some occur in bulk ...

is a major scientific and commercial success story. Today, most families own a spintronic device: the giant-magnetoresistive ( GMR)

read head in their computer. The science that gave rise to this phenomenal business opportunity – and earned the 2007

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...

for Physics – was the recognition that electrical carriers are characterized by both

charge Charge or charged may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Charge, Zero Emissions/Maximum Speed'', a 2011 documentary Music * ''Charge'' (David Ford album) * ''Charge'' (Machel Montano album) * '' Charge!!'', an album by The Aqu ...

and

. Today, tunnelling-magnetoresistance (TMR) – which uses the electron spin as a label to allow or forbid

tunnelling – dominates the hard disk market and is rapidly establishing itself in areas as diverse as magnetic logic devices and biosensors. Ongoing development is pushing the frontiers of TMR devices towards the

nanoscale Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm). At this scale, commonly known as the nanoscale, surface area and quantum mechanical effects become important in describing propertie ...

References

External links

{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727021148/http://www.jwnc.gla.ac.uk/ , date=2011-07-27 Spintronics, Electric and magnetic fields in matter Electrical engineering Materials science Nanoelectronics Microtechnology Electromechanical engineering Control engineering