Dissipationless Quantum Spin Current at Room Temperature

TLDR

Irreversible transport causes intrinsic dissipation in electronic devices, limiting the feasibility of quantum computation. The study predicts that an electric field can generate substantial dissipationless quantum spin current at room temperature in hole‑doped semiconductors such as Si, Ge, and GaAs. This effect is based on a generalization of the quantum Hall effect, enabling efficient spin injection without metallic ferromagnets. These principles could enable low‑power quantum spintronic devices that integrate processing and storage and support reversible quantum computation.

Abstract

Although microscopic laws of physics are invariant under the reversal of the arrow of time, the transport of energy and information in most devices is an irreversible process. It is this irreversibility that leads to intrinsic dissipations in electronic devices and limits the possibility of quantum computation. We theoretically predict that the electric field can induce a substantial amount of dissipationless quantum spin current at room temperature, in hole-doped semiconductors such as Si, Ge, and GaAs. On the basis of a generalization of the quantum Hall effect, the predicted effect leads to efficient spin injection without the need for metallic ferromagnets. Principles found here could enable quantum spintronic devices with integrated information processing and storage units, operating with low power consumption and performing reversible quantum computation.