Why ferromagnetic semiconductors ?

Rapid development of information technologies originates from the exponential increase in the density of information that can be processed, stored, and transfer by the unit area of relevant devices. There is, however, a growing amount of evidences that the progress achieved in this way approaches its limits. Various novel ideas put forward to circumvent barriers ahead are described. Particular attention is paid to those concepts which propose to exploit electron or nuclear spins as the information carriers. Here, ferromagnetic semiconductors of III-V or II-VI compounds containing a sizable concentration of transition metals appear as outstanding spintronic materials. PACS: 75.50.Pp, 72.25.Dc, 75.30.Hx, 85.75-d ________ * This paper is based on author’s talks presented at IV International School and Symposium on Physics in Materials, Jaszowiec, Poland, Sept. 23-29, 2001 and at 34th Meeting of Polish Physicists, Toruñ, Sept. 17-20, and published in Postêpy Fizyki 52 (Suppl.) (2001). Translated with permission (Copyright 2001 by Polish Physical Society). **e-mail: [email protected]; URL: http://www.ifpan.edu.pl/SL-2/sl23.html