Over the past decades, spintronics has shown that spin can become a functional resource: it can be generated, made to propagate, and converted into an electrical signal by exploiting spin-charge interconversion mechanisms (spin Hall or Rashba–Edelstein). However, when moving to CMOS-compatible platforms, the efficiency of these conversions is not always sufficient and can become a limiting factor for devices. Precisely to overcome this limitation, orbitronics is emerging, shifting the focus from spin alone to the carriers’ orbital angular momentum (OAM). In several materials, including group-IV semiconductors at the core of CMOS technology, the generation of orbital currents and the charge-to-OAM conversion associated with the orbital Hall effect (OHE) can be highly efficient. This opens concrete prospects for the development of low-power, silicon-integrable devices that incorporate in-memory computing functionalities (enabled by the combination of orbital torques induced on magnetic materials within a semiconductor platform). The aim of this thesis is to realize and characterize semiconductor devices in which a charge current generates an orbital dynamics and this is read out electrically or optically, with the goal of defining figures of merit and experimental guidelines for in-memory computing architectures based on orbitronics/spin-orbitronics.

The thesis work involves an experimental activity focused on:

1. fabrication of magnetic heterostructures on CMOS-compatible semiconductor platforms, with geometries specifically designed for detecting orbital signals;
2. measurements of interconversion and transport of orbital signals at cryogenic temperatures (down to T = 4 K) and under an applied magnetic field;
3. data analysis aimed at extracting device-relevant figures of merit such as orbital-to-charge interconversion efficiency, torques, and transport lengths.

In the thesis work, carried out mainly at the SemiSpin laboratory of the Physics Department under the supervision of Prof. Carlo Zucchetti, the student will:

1. perform cleanroom activities (LNESS) for device fabrication, in collaboration with Dr. Monica Bollani;
2. use state-of-the-art instrumentation for magneto-transport measurements to quantify the electrical readout induced by orbital signals;
3. gain methodology and autonomy in the critical analysis of results (validation, comparison with the literature, physical interpretation, and proposing improvements).

During the thesis, the skills acquired by the student will not remain confined to the project, but will constitute a solid scientific and professional background, valuable both in academia and for highly qualified positions in the Hi-Tech job market. The expected duration is about 9 months, with flexible yet continuous commitment (compatible with academic requirements). Interested students can contact Prof. Carlo Zucchetti.