Orbital Electronics

Electrons in matter possess various quantum degrees of freedom, among which the orbital angular momentum which features the self-rotation of the electron wave packet. In recent years, it was discovered that orbital currents can be used to convey information very efficiently. Most importantly, they can be generated in light metals that are cheap and abundant on Earth, thereby opening entirely new paths for their exploitation in competitive electronic components. The EU-funded OBELIX project aims at advancing the physics of “orbitronics” and launching an entirely new technology based on the electronic orbital degree of freedom. OBELIX will drive the development new families of electronic components, from memories to sensors and logic, and THz emitters and radio-frequency nano-oscillators free from scarce heavy metals. This technology has the potential not only to outperform existing devices but also to be strategically resilient and environmentally responsible.