Novel magnetic nanomaterials have potentials for developing new-generation electric devices to resolve power consumptions and variability issues in today’s microelectronics industry. In this talk, I will present my recent research on the development of high-Curie-temperature Mn_0.05Ge_0.95 quantum dots with a ferromagnetic order above room temperature. I will describe an approach to probe the electric-field control of ferromagnetism in this material and demonstrate the operation temperature up to 300 K.

I will also discuss some of recent advance in topological insulators, including the study of voltage-controlled surface states in Bi₂Te₃ nanoribbons, and the growth of topological thin films by molecular beam epitaxy. I will present several research directions towards practical spintronic devices and ultrahigh magnetic sensors based upon the salient properties of topological surface states. All these novel magnetic and electronic materials could be potentially used for the long-sought power dissipationless applications.

References: F. Xiu, et al. Nature Materials, 9, 337 (2010);

                    F. Xiu, et al. Nature Nanotechnology, 6, 216 (2011)