Researchers from The University of Manchester, with colleagues from the universities of Groningen and Utrecht in the Netherlands, say 3D curved microchip structures could be used to develop more powerful – and energy efficient – spin-based computers.

The work, published online in the journal Nano Letters, outlines the main challenges involved in creating 3D curved microchips that rely on the “spin” of electrons to carry and store information. According to Dr Ivan Vera-Marun, a lead researcher on the study, the key issue is that spin-based microchips are usually 2D structures. Therefore, a fundamental challenge when building 3D structures is transporting electrons without losing their unique spin properties. Collectively, the use of electron spin in electronics is known as “spintronics”.

To investigate this, the researchers used ion beams – a form of molecular sandblasting – to carve trenches in a piece of silicon, the material which forms the basis of microchips. They then grew nano-scale aluminium channels across these trenches, through which the electrons could travel. The movement of the electrons through these curved channels, and across the trenches, mimics the movement of electrons through a 3D structure with multiple layers of material. In doing so, the researchers hoped to discover what factors affect the spin and charge of electrons, characteristics which affect the efficiency and speed of electronic devices.