Ivan Vera Marun: "Low energy usage and ultrafast speed"

⏹ Can this EU-funded project bring something back to society?  

➡️ – Modern society relies on the use of information technology more than ever, with an increasing need for ways to store more information, faster, and in a more energy-efficient manner. All these needs are at the heart of this project, where the development of devices based on the magnetic properties of atomically-thin quantum materials have the potential to yield the basis for future memory technologies with low energy usage and ultrafast switching speed, says Ivan Vera Marun.

⏹ What is your expectations on the 2SPIN-TECH project? 

➡️ – I expect this project to achieve breakthroughs in the development of spintronic devices, which are those that use the magnetism of electrons, based on two-dimensional materials. These breakthroughs would be in the form of exploiting the spintronic properties of novel 2D materials and of the structures formed by bringing distinct 2D materials together. Such properties include high spin polarisation, long spin coherence times, and efficient transport of spin information.

⏹ Why is 2DSPIN-TECH important?  

➡️ – This project aims to advance memory devices based on 2D materials from proof of basic principles to a validated device technology in a laboratory environment. The project brings together both experimental and theoretical European researchers, as well as a company, combining expertise from physics, materials science, and engineering. All participants have demonstrated expertise on the fundamentals of spintronics and 2D materials yet share the common goal to help accelerate their evolution towards discoveries and implementation of new technologies.

⏹ What is the benefit of using spintronics instead of charged electrons for memory technology? 

➡️ – By way of using the spin of electrons, other than just using their charge, spintronics promises faster data processing and higher data storage capacities compared to traditional devices based only on magnetism or electronics. Using electronic spins is a wonderful way to integrate the non-volatile nature of magnets, with the fast manipulation and readout of electronics. 

⏹ What is your own primary motivation in this project?  

➡️ – My primary motivation is to contribute to the development of novel energy-efficient electronics. Spintronics offers significant advantages for low power consumption and energy efficiency by the use of spin information, while 2D materials with large electronic mobility offer minimal energy losses. My team has developed world-leading spintronic devices with high-quality 2D materials, and this project paves the way for their integration in energy-efficient devices memory technologies.

Text and photo: Jonas Löfvendahl

Four facts about Ivan Vera Marun

✅ Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester in England.

✅ Favourite quote:  “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” (Aristotle) 

✅ Likes to do in spare-time: Make new memories with my family.

✅ Has worked with Graphene and other 2DM since 2011.

Read more about 2DSPIN-TECH here.