The spin properties of light could enable spintronics and photonics to co-exist in devices

Researchers at Purdue University have shown that there is a very simple rule that governs light spin and momentum locking. This is a universal property for all optical materials and nanostructures, which makes it potentially very useful for photonic devices. This universality is unique to light and does not occur for electrons.

The researchers aim to use these spin properties of light to interface with spintronics so that we might use both photons and electrons in devices.