Long distance spin communication in chemical vapour deposited graphene

Strong In-Plane Magnetization and Spin Polarization in (Co0.15Fe0.85)5GeTe2/Graphene van der Waals Heterostructure Spin-Valve at Room Temperature

Van der Waals (vdW) magnets are promising, because of their tunable magnetic properties with doping or alloy composition, where the strength of magnetic interactions, their symmetry, and magnetic anisotropy can be tuned according to the desired application. However, so far, most of the vdW magnet-based spintronic devices have been limited to cryogenic temperatures with magnetic anisotropies favoring out-of-plane or canted orientation of the magnetization. Here, we report beyond room-temperature lateral spin-valve devices with strong in-plane magnetization and spin polarization of the vdW ferromagnet (Co0.15Fe0.85)5GeTe2 (CFGT) in heterostructures with graphene. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the magnitude of the anisotropy depends on the Co concentration and is caused by the substitution of Co in the outermost Fe layer. Magnetization measurements reveal the above room-temperature ferromagnetism in CFGT and clear remanence at room temperature. Heterostructures consisting of CFGT nanolayers and graphene were used to experimentally realize basic building blocks for spin valve devices, such as efficient spin injection and detection. Further analysis of spin transport and Hanle spin precession measurements reveals a strong in-plane magnetization with negative spin polarization at the interface with graphene, which is supported by the calculated spin-polarized density of states of CFGT. The in-plane magnetization of CFGT at room temperature proves its usefulness in graphene lateral spin-valve devices, thus revealing its potential application in spintronic technologies.

Ab Initio Predictions of Spin Relaxation, Dephasing, and Diffusion in Solids

Spin relaxation, dephasing, and diffusion are at the heart of spin-based information technology. Accurate theoretical approaches to simulate spin lifetimes (τs), determining how fast the spin polarization and phase information will be lost, are important to the understanding of the underlying mechanism of these spin processes, and invaluable in searching for promising candidates of spintronic materials. Recently, we develop a first-principles real-time density-matrix (FPDM) approach to simulate spin dynamics for general solid-state systems. Through the complete first-principles descriptions of light-matter interaction and scattering processes including electron-phonon, electron-impurity, and electron-electron scatterings with self-consistent spin-orbit coupling, as well as ab initio Landé g-factor, our method can predict τs at various conditions as a function of carrier density and temperature, under electric and magnetic fields. By employing this method, we successfully reproduce experimental results of disparate materials and identify the key factors affecting spin relaxation, dephasing, and diffusion in different materials. Specifically, we predict that germanene has long τs (∼100 ns at 50 K), a giant spin lifetime anisotropy, and spin-valley locking effect under electric fields, making it advantageous for spin-valleytronic applications. Based on our theoretical derivations and ab initio simulations, we propose a new useful electronic quantity, named spin-flip angle θ↑↓, for the understanding of spin relaxation through intervalley spin-flip scattering processes. Our method can be further applied to other emerging materials and extended to simulate exciton spin dynamics and steady-state photocurrents due to photogalvanic effect.

Recent Advances in Transfer-Free Synthesis of High-Quality Graphene

High-quality graphene obtained by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique holds significant importance in constructing innovative electronic and optoelectronic devices. Direct growth of graphene over target substrates readily eliminates cumbersome transfer processes, offering compatibility with practical application scenarios. Recent years have witnessed growing strategic endeavors in the preparation of transfer-free graphene with favorable quality. Nevertheless, timely review articles on this topic are still scarce. In this contribution, a systematic summary of recent advances in transfer-free synthesis of high-quality graphene on insulating substrates, with a focus on discussing synthetic strategies designed by elevating reaction temperature, confining gas flow, introducing growth promotor and regulating substrate surface is presented.

Emergent Intrinsic Ferromagnetism in Two-Dimensional Trigonal Rhodium Oxide

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals single crystals with long-range magnetic order are the precondition and urgent task for developing a 2D spintronics device. In contrast to graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides, the study of 2D single-crystal metal oxides with intrinsic ferromagnetic properties remains a huge challenge. Here, we report a large-size trigonal single-crystal rhodium oxide (SC-Tri-RhO2), with crystal parameters of a = b = 3.074 Å, c = 6.116 Å, and a space group of P3̅m1 (164), exhibiting strong ferromagnetism (FM) at a rather high temperature. Furthermore, theoretical calculations suggest that the ferromagnetism in SC-Tri-RhO2 originates from spin splitting near the Fermi level, and the total magnetic moment is contributed mainly by the Rh atom.

Graphene Spin Valves for Spin Logic Devices

An alternative to charge-based electronics identifies the spin degree of freedom for information communication and processing. The long spin-diffusion length in graphene at room temperature demonstrates its ability for highly scalable spintronics. The development of the graphene spin valve (SV) has inspired spin devices in graphene including spin field-effect transistors and spin majority logic gates. A comprehensive picture of spin transport in graphene SVs is required for further development of spin logic. This review examines the advances in graphene SVs and their role in the development of spin logic devices. Different transport and scattering mechanisms in charge and spin are discussed. Furthermore, the on/off switching energy between graphene SVs and charge-based FETs is compared to highlight their prospects for low-power devices. The challenges and perspectives that need to be addressed for the future development of spin logic devices are then outlined.

Ultralong 100 ns spin relaxation time in graphite at room temperature

Graphite has been intensively studied, yet its electron spins dynamics remains an unresolved problem even 70 years after the first experiments. The central quantities, the longitudinal (T₁) and transverse (T₂) relaxation times were postulated to be equal, mirroring standard metals, but T₁ has never been measured for graphite. Here, based on a detailed band structure calculation including spin-orbit coupling, we predict an unexpected behavior of the relaxation times. We find, based on saturation ESR measurements, that T₁ is markedly different from T₂. Spins injected with perpendicular polarization with respect to the graphene plane have an extraordinarily long lifetime of 100 ns at room temperature. This is ten times more than in the best graphene samples. The spin diffusion length across graphite planes is thus expected to be ultralong, on the scale of ~ 70 μm, suggesting that thin films of graphite - or multilayer AB graphene stacks - can be excellent platforms for spintronics applications compatible with 2D van der Waals technologies. Finally, we provide a qualitative account of the observed spin relaxation based on the anisotropic spin admixture of the Bloch states in graphite obtained from density functional theory calculations.

Insights and Implications of Intricate Surface Charge Transfer and sp3-Defects in Graphene/Metal Oxide Interfaces

Adherence of metal oxides to graphene is of fundamental significance to graphene nanoelectronic and spintronic interfaces. Titanium oxide and aluminum oxide are two widely used tunnel barriers in such devices, which offer optimum interface resistance and distinct interface conditions that govern transport parameters and device performance. Here, we reveal a fundamental difference in how these metal oxides interface with graphene through electrical transport measurements and Raman and photoelectron spectroscopies, combined with ab initio electronic structure calculations of such interfaces. While both oxide layers cause surface charge transfer induced p-type doping in graphene, in sharp contrast to TiO_x, the AlO_x/graphene interface shows the presence of appreciable sp³ defects. Electronic structure calculations disclose that significant p-type doping occurs due to a combination of sp³ bonds formed between C and O atoms at the interface and possible slightly off-stoichiometric defects of the aluminum oxide layer. Furthermore, the sp³ hybridization at the AlO_x/graphene interface leads to distinct magnetic moments of unsaturated bonds, which not only explicates the widely observed low spin-lifetimes in AlO_x barrier graphene spintronic devices but also suggests possibilities for new hybrid resistive switching and spin valves.

Edge magnetization and thermally induced spin current in nanostructured graphene

In this work, the magnetic states and thermally induced spin currents in graphene nanoflake sizes with different sizes and shapes have been investigated using Hubbard model combined with non-equilibrium Green's function method. In addition to the antiferromagnetic (AFM) state governed by the sizes, shapes, armchair bond densities, and Coulomb energy, our calculations have also pointed out the emergence of ferromagnetic (FM) and complex magnetic states when the gate voltage is invoked in the graphene nanoflakes. More prominently, by exploiting the geometric symmetry of the nanoflakes without external fields, a pure spin current and zero charge current are generated in spin caloritronic device when the graphene nanoflakes are both in the AFM and FM states. The formation of pure spin currents driven by temperature difference depends on the graphene nanoflakes' size, shape, temperature and gate voltage as well. The study also shows the outstanding advantages of diamond-shaped graphene nanoflakes in both magnetic properties and spin currents. This result paves the way for the possibility of practical applications of graphene materials in spintronics and spin caloritronics.

Quantum-Engineered Devices Based on 2D Materials for Next-Generation Information Processing and Storage

As an approximation to the quantum state of solids, the band theory, developed nearly seven decades ago, fostered the advance of modern integrated solid-state electronics, one of the most successful technologies in the history of human civilization. Nonetheless, their rapidly growing energy consumption and accompanied environmental issues call for more energy-efficient electronics and optoelectronics, which necessitate the exploration of more advanced quantum mechanical effects, such as band-to-band tunneling, spin-orbit coupling, spin-valley locking, and quantum entanglement. The emerging 2D layered materials, featured by their exotic electrical, magnetic, optical, and structural properties, provide a revolutionary low-dimensional and manufacture-friendly platform (and many more opportunities) to implement these quantum-engineered devices, compared to the traditional electronic materials system. Here, the progress in quantum-engineered devices is reviewed and the opportunities/challenges of exploiting 2D materials are analyzed to highlight their unique quantum properties that enable novel energy-efficient devices, and useful insights to quantum device engineers and 2D-material scientists are provided.

Graphene on Chromia: A System for Beyond-Room-Temperature Spintronics

Evidence of robust spin-dependent transport in monolayer graphene, deposited on the (0001) surface of the antiferromagnetic (AFM)/magneto-electric oxide chromia (Cr₂ O₃ ), is provided. Measurements performed in the non-local spin-Hall geometry reveal a robust signal that is present at zero external magnetic field and which is significantly larger than any possible ohmic contribution. The spin-related signal persists well beyond the Néel temperature (≈307 K) that defines the transition between the AFM and paramagnetic states, remaining visible at the highest studied temperature of close to 450 K. This robust character is consistent with prior theoretical studies of the graphene/Cr₂ O₃ system, predicting that the lifting of sub-lattice symmetry in the graphene shall induce an effective spin-orbit term of ≈40 meV. Overall, the results indicate that graphene-on-chromia heterostructures are a highly promising framework for the implementation of spintronic devices, capable of operation well beyond room temperature.

Room temperature two terminal tunnel magnetoresistance in a lateral graphene transistor

We investigate the behavior of both pure spin and spin-polarized currents measured with four-probe non-local and two probe local configurations up to room temperature and under an external gate voltage in a lateral graphene transistor, produced using a standard large-scale microfabrication process. The high spin diffusion length of pristine graphene in the channel, measured both directly and by the Hanle effect, and the tuning of the relationship between the electrode resistance areas present in the device architecture allowed us to observe local tunnel magnetoresistance at room temperature, a new finding for this type of device. The results also indicate that while pure spin currents are less sensitive to temperature variations, spin-polarized current switching by an external voltage is more efficient, due to a combination of the Rashba effect and a change in carrier mobility by a Fermi level shift.

Giant Spin Lifetime Anisotropy and Spin-Valley Locking in Silicene and Germanene from First-Principles Density-Matrix Dynamics

Through first-principles real-time density-matrix (FPDM) dynamics simulations, we investigated spin relaxation due to electron-phonon and electron-impurity scatterings with spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in two-dimensional Dirac materials silicene and germanene at finite temperatures. We discussed the applicability of conventional descriptions of spin relaxation mechanisms by Elliott-Yafet (EY) and D'yakonov-Perel' (DP) compared to the FPDM method, which is determined by a complex interplay of intrinsic SOC, external fields, and scattering strength. For example, the electric field dependence of the spin lifetime by FPDM is close to the DP mechanism for silicene at room temperature but similar to the EY mechanism for germanene. Because of its stronger SOC strength and buckled structure in contrast to graphene, germanene has a giant spin lifetime anisotropy and spin-valley locking effect under nonzero E_z and low temperatures. More importantly, germanene has a long spin lifetime (∼100 ns at 50 K) and an ultrahigh carrier mobility, making it advantageous for spin-valleytronic applications.

Controllable Synthesis of Wafer-Scale Graphene Films: Challenges, Status, and Perspectives

The availability of high-quality, large-scale, and single-crystal wafer-scale graphene films is fundamental for key device applications in the field of electronics, optics, and sensors. Synthesis determines the future: unleashing the full potentials of such emerging materials relies heavily upon their tailored synthesis in a scalable fashion, which is by no means an easy task to date. This review covers the state-of-the-art progress in the synthesis of wafer-scale graphene films by virtue of chemical vapor deposition (CVD), with a focus on main challenges and present status. Particularly, prevailing synthetic strategies are highlighted on a basis of the discussion in the reaction kinetics and gas-phase dynamics during CVD process. Perspectives with respect to key opportunities and promising research directions are proposed to guide the future development of wafer-scale graphene films.

Femtosecond laser-induced spin dynamics in single-layer graphene/CoFeB thin films

Graphene/ferromagnet hybrid heterostructures are important building blocks of spintronics due to the unique ability of graphene to transport spin current over unprecedented distances and possible increase in its spin-orbit coupling due to proximity and hybridization. Here, we present magnetization dynamics over a femtosecond to nanosecond timescale by employing an all-optical time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect technique in single-layer graphene (SLG)/CoFeB thin films with varying CoFeB thickness and compared them with reference CoFeB thin films without an SLG underlayer. Gilbert damping variation with CoFeB thickness is modelled to extract spin-mixing conductance for the SLG/CoFeB interface and isolate the two-magnon scattering contribution from spin pumping. In SLG/CoFeB, we have established an inverse relationship between ultrafast demagnetization time (τ_m) and the Gilbert damping parameter (α) induced by interfacial spin accumulation and pure spin-current transport via a spin pumping mechanism. This systematic study of ultrafast demagnetization in SLG/CoFeB heterostructures and its connection with magnetic damping can help to design graphene-based ultrahigh-speed spintronic devices.

Van der Waals heterostructures for spintronics and opto-spintronics

The large variety of 2D materials and their co-integration in van der Waals heterostructures enable innovative device engineering. In addition, their atomically thin nature promotes the design of artificial materials by proximity effects that originate from short-range interactions. Such a designer approach is particularly compelling for spintronics, which typically harnesses functionalities from thin layers of magnetic and non-magnetic materials and the interfaces between them. Here we provide an overview of recent progress in 2D spintronics and opto-spintronics using van der Waals heterostructures. After an introduction to the forefront of spin transport research, we highlight the unique spin-related phenomena arising from spin-orbit and magnetic proximity effects. We further describe the ability to create multifunctional hybrid heterostructures based on van der Waals materials, combining spin, valley and excitonic degrees of freedom. We end with an outlook on perspectives and challenges for the design and production of ultracompact all-2D spin devices and their potential applications in conventional and quantum technologies.

Ultralow magnetostrictive flexible ferromagnetic nanowires

The integration of magneto-electric and spintronic sensors to flexible electronics presents a huge potential for advancing flexible and wearable technologies. Magnetic nanowires are core components for building such devices. Therefore, realizing flexible magnetic nanowires with engineered magneto-elastic properties is key to flexible spintronic circuits, as well as creating unique pathways to explore complex flexible spintronic, magnonic, and magneto-plasmonic devices. Here, we demonstrate highly resilient flexible ferromagnetic nanowires on transparent flexible substrates for the first time. Through extensive magneto-optical Kerr experiments, exploring the Villari effect, we reveal an ultralow magnetostrictive constant in nanowires, a two-order reduced value compared to bulk values. In addition, the flexible magnetic nanowires exhibit remarkable resilience sustaining bending radii ∼5 mm, high endurance, and enhanced elastic limit compared to thin films of similar thickness and composition. The observed performance is corroborated by our micro-magnetic simulations and can be attributed to the reduced size and strong nanostructure-interfacial effects. Such stable magnetic nanowires with ultralow magnetostriction open up new opportunities for stable surface mountable and wearable spintronic sensors, advanced nanospintronic circuits, and for exploring novel strain-induced quantum effects in hybrid devices.

Exploration of Graphene Defect Reactivity toward a Hydrogen Radical Utilizing a Preactivated Circumcoronene Model

A preexisting chemisorbed defect is well-known to increase the reactivity of graphene which is normally chemically inert. Specifically, the presence of chemisorbed hydrogen atoms forming an sp³-hybridized C-H bond is known to increase the reactivity of neighboring carbon atoms toward additional hydrogenation with wide-ranging applications from materials science to astrochemistry. In this work, static DFT and DFT-based direct dynamics simulations are used to characterize the reactivity of a graphene sheet around an existing C-H bond defect. The spin density landscape shows how to guide subsequent H atom additions, always bonding most strongly to the carbon atom with greatest spin density. Molecular dynamics of an impinging H atom under thermal conditions with defect graphene was used to determine the statistics of probable reactions. The most frequent outcome is inelastic scattering (48%) and then Eley-Rideal (ER) abstraction of the chemisorbed H atom as vibrationally hot H₂ (40%), while the least likely, but probably most interesting, result is formation of a novel C-H bond (12%). The C-H bonds always form in the β sublattice. The carbon atom in the para position shows to be most reactive toward the incoming H atom, followed by the ortho carbon, in agreement with the spin density computed in the static calculations. Globally, the graphene energy surface is repulsive, but the defects create local channels into this energy surface through which reactants can move locally through and react with the activated surface without a barrier.

Valley manipulation in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides and their hybrid systems: status and challenges

Recently, the emerging conceptual valley-related devices have attracted much attention due to the progress on generating, controlling, and detecting the valley degree of freedom in the transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers. In general, it is known that achieving valley degree of freedom with long valley lifetime is crucial in the implementation of valleytronic devices. Here, we provide a brief introduction of the basic understandings of valley degree of freedom. We as well review the recent experimental advancement in the modulation of valley degree of freedom. The strategies include optical/magnetic/electric field tuning, moiré patterns, plasmonic metasurface, defects and strain engineering. In addition, we summarize the corresponding mechanisms, which can help to obtain large degree of polarization and long valley lifetimes in monolayer TMDs. Based on these methods, two-dimensional valley-optoelectronic systems based on TMD heterostructures can be constructed, providing opportunities for such as the new paradigm in data processing and transmission. Challenges and perspectives on the development of valleytronics are highlighted as well.

Robust Spin Interconnect with Isotropic Spin Dynamics in Chemical Vapor Deposited Graphene Layers and Boundaries

The utilization of large-area graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is crucial for the development of scalable spin interconnects in all-spin-based memory and logic circuits. However, the fundamental influence of the presence of multilayer graphene patches and their boundaries on spin dynamics has not been addressed yet, which is necessary for basic understanding and application of robust spin interconnects. Here, we report universal spin transport and dynamic properties in specially devised single layer, bilayer, and trilayer graphene channels and their layer boundaries and folds that are usually present in CVD graphene samples. We observe uniform spin lifetime with isotropic spin relaxation for spins with different orientations in graphene layers and their boundaries at room temperature. In all of the inhomogeneous graphene channels, the spin lifetime anisotropy ratios for spins polarized out-of-plane and in-plane are measured to be close to unity. Our analysis shows the importance of both Elliott-Yafet and D'yakonov-Perel' mechanisms with an increasing role of the latter mechanism in multilayer channels. These results of universal and isotropic spin transport on large-area inhomogeneous CVD graphene with multilayer patches and their boundaries and folds at room temperature prove its outstanding spin interconnect functionality, which is beneficial for the development of scalable spintronic circuits.

Ultimate Spin Currents in Commercial Chemical Vapor Deposited Graphene

Establishing ultimate spin current efficiency in graphene over industry-standard substrates can facilitate research and development exploration of spin current functions and spin sensing. At the same time, it can resolve core issues in spin relaxation physics while addressing the skepticism of graphene's practicality for planar spintronic applications. In this work, we reveal an exceptionally long spin communication capability of 45 μm and highest to date spin diffusion length of 13.6 μm in graphene on SiO2/Si at room temperature. Employing commercial chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene, we show how contact-induced surface charge transfer doping and device doping contributions, as well as spin relaxation, can be quenched in extremely long spin channels and thereby enable unexpectedly long spin diffusion lengths in polycrystalline CVD graphene. Extensive experiments show enhanced spin transport and precession in multiple longest channels (36 and 45 μm) that reveal the highest spin lifetime of ∼2.5-3.5 ns in graphene over SiO2/Si, even under ambient conditions. Such performance, made possible due to our devices approaching the intrinsic spin-orbit coupling of ∼20 μeV in graphene, reveals the role of the D'yakonov-Perel' spin relaxation mechanism in graphene channels as well as contact regions. Our record demonstration, fresh device engineering, and spin relaxation insights unlock the ultimate spin current capabilities of graphene on SiO2/Si, while the robust high performance of commercial CVD graphene can proliferate research and development of innovative spin sensors and spin computing circuits.

Unconventional Charge-Spin Conversion in Weyl-Semimetal WTe2

An outstanding feature of topological quantum materials is their novel spin topology in the electronic band structures with an expected large charge-to-spin conversion efficiency. Here, a charge-current-induced spin polarization in the type-II Weyl semimetal candidate WTe₂ and efficient spin injection and detection in a graphene channel up to room temperature are reported. Contrary to the conventional spin Hall and Rashba-Edelstein effects, the measurements indicate an unconventional charge-to-spin conversion in WTe₂ , which is primarily forbidden by the crystal symmetry of the system. Such a large spin polarization can be possible in WTe₂ due to a reduced crystal symmetry combined with its large spin Berry curvature, spin-orbit interaction with a novel spin-texture of the Fermi states. A robust and practical method is demonstrated for electrical creation and detection of such a spin polarization using both charge-to-spin conversion and its inverse phenomenon and utilized it for efficient spin injection and detection in the graphene channel up to room temperature. These findings open opportunities for utilizing topological Weyl materials as nonmagnetic spin sources in all-electrical van der Waals spintronic circuits and for low-power and high-performance nonvolatile spintronic technologies.

Flexible transparent graphene laminates via direct lamination of graphene onto polyethylene naphthalate substrates

Graphene, with its excellent electrical, mechanical, and optical properties, has emerged as an exceptional material for flexible and transparent nanoelectronics. Such versatility makes it compelling to find new pathways to lay graphene sheets onto smooth, flexible substrates to create large-scale flexible transparent graphene conductors. Here, we report the realization of flexible transparent graphene laminates by direct adhesion of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) graphene on a polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrate, which is an emerging standard for flexible electronics. By systematically optimizing the conditions of a hot-press technique, we have identified that applying optimum temperature and pressure can make graphene directly adhere to flexible PEN substrates without any intermediate layer. The resultant flexible graphene films are transparent, have a standard sheet resistance of 1 kΩ with high bending resilience, and high optical transmittance of 85%. Our direct hot-press method is achieved below the glass transition temperature of the PEN substrate. Furthermore, we demonstrate press-assisted embossing for patterned transfer of graphene, and hence it can serve as a reliable new means for creating universal, transparent conducting patterned films for designing flexible nanoelectronic and optoelectronic components.

Giant spin signals in chemically functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes

Transporting quantum information such as the spin information over micrometric or even millimetric distances is a strong requirement for the next-generation electronic circuits such as low-voltage spin-logic devices. This crucial step of transportation remains delicate in nontopologically protected systems because of the volatile nature of spin states. Here, a beneficial combination of different phenomena is used to approach this sought-after milestone for the beyond-Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology roadmap. First, a strongly spin-polarized charge current is injected using highly spin-polarized hybridized states emerging at the complex ferromagnetic metal/molecule interfaces. Second, the spin information is brought toward the conducting inner shells of a multiwall carbon nanotube used as a confined nanoguide benefiting from both weak spin-orbit and hyperfine interactions. The spin information is finally electrically converted because of a strong magnetoresistive effect. The experimental results are also supported by calculations qualitatively revealing exceptional spin transport properties of this system.

Induced Ferromagnetic Order of Graphdiyne Semiconductors by Introducing a Heteroatom

To date, the realization of ferromagnetism in two-dimensional carbon semiconductors containing only sp electrons has remained a challenge for spintronics. Here, we utilize the atomic-level functionalization strategy to obtain three carbon matrix materials by accurately introducing different light elements (H, F, Cl) into graphdiyne's benzene ring. Their magnetic and conductive characteristics are thoroughly clarified via physical property measurements and DFT calculations. All of these carbon matrix materials retain their excellent intrinsic semiconductor properties. In particular, compared with the paramagnetism of HsGDY and ClsGDY, a robust ferromagnetic ordering as well as high mobility of up to 320 cm² V^-1 s^-1 was observed in FsGDY, successfully realizing a ferromagnetic semiconductor. Through theory calculations, this unique ferromagnetic coupling can be attributed to the most striking charge transfer between carbon and fluorine atoms, demonstrating the advantages of controllable fabrication. These results not only reveal the important role of atomic-scale doping/substitution in optimizing graphdiyne material but also create new possibilities for manipulating spins and charges in 2D carbon materials.

Bi-stimuli assisted engineering and control of magnetic phase in monolayer CrOCl

Magnetic phase control and room temperature magnetic stability in two-dimensional (2D) materials are indispensable for realising advanced spintronic and magneto-electronic functions. Our current work employs first-principles calculations to comprehensively study the magnetic behaviour of 2D CrOCl, uncovering the impact of strain and electric field on the material. Our studies have revealed that uniaxial strain leads to the feasibility of room temperature ferromagnetism in the layer and also detected the occurrence of a ferromagnetic → antiferromagnetic phase transition in the system, which is anisotropic along the armchair and zigzag directions. Beyond such a strain effect, the coupling of strain and electric field leads to a remarkable enhancement of the Curie temperature (T_c) ∼ 450 K in CrOCl. These predictions based on our detailed simulations show the prospect of multi-stimuli magnetic phase control, which could have great significance for realizing magneto-mechanical sensors.

Proposal for Unambiguous Electrical Detection of Spin-Charge Conversion in Lateral Spin Valves

Efficient detection of spin-charge conversion is crucial for advancing our understanding of emergent phenomena in spin-orbit-coupled nanostructures. Here, we provide a proof of principle of an electrical detection scheme of spin-charge conversion that enables full disentanglement of competing spin-orbit coupling (SOC) transport phenomena in diffusive lateral channels, i.e., the inverse spin Hall effect and the spin galvanic effect. A suitable geometry in an applied oblique magnetic field is shown to provide direct access to SOC transport coefficients through a symmetry analysis of the output nonlocal resistance. The scheme is robust against tilting of the spin-injector magnetization, disorder, and spurious non-spin-related contributions to the nonlocal signal and can be used to probe spin-charge conversion effects in both spin-valve and hybrid optospintronic devices.

Nonlocal Spin Dynamics in the Crossover from Diffusive to Ballistic Transport

Improved fabrication techniques have enabled the possibility of ballistic transport and unprecedented spin manipulation in ultraclean graphene devices. Spin transport in graphene is typically probed in a nonlocal spin valve and is analyzed using spin diffusion theory, but this theory is not necessarily applicable when charge transport becomes ballistic or when the spin diffusion length is exceptionally long. Here, we study these regimes by performing quantum simulations of graphene nonlocal spin valves. We find that conventional spin diffusion theory fails to capture the crossover to the ballistic regime as well as the limit of long spin diffusion length. We show that the latter can be described by an extension of the current theoretical framework. Finally, by covering the whole range of spin dynamics, our study opens a new perspective to predict and scrutinize spin transport in graphene and other two-dimensional material-based ultraclean devices.

High efficiency spin filtering in magnetic phosphorene

We present high efficiency spin filtering behaviour in magnetically rendered phosphorene, doped with various 3d block elements. A phase diagram was obtained depicting the presence of various electronic and magnetic states.

Anomalous Non-Linear to Linear Shift in Magnetoresistance of Amorphous Carbon Films

Non-linear to linear negative magnetoresistance (MR) was studied under the magnetic field ranging from −7 T to 7 T with a change in measurement temperature from 2 K to 300 K. Under the magnetic field of 7 T, a maximum MR magnitude of 8.2% was observed at 2 K. The chemical vapor deposition technique was adopted to synthesize the amorphous carbon thin films. Non-saturated and non-linear negative MR was observed for the lower temperatures, while 10 K was observed as transition temperature. Afterwards, the more likely linear MR behavior was observed up to 300 K. MR shape change was correlated with the structural morphology of metallic disordered graphitic layers or the random stacking of graphene layers with amorphous carbon. The negative MR mechanism for such a non-linear to linear shift was partially assumed as a combined effect of the diffused scattering theory and the weak localization theory. The negative MR effect has a direct relation with the degree of structural order.

Universal Spin Diffusion Length in Polycrystalline Graphene

Graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is the most promising material for industrial-scale applications based on graphene monolayers. It also holds promise for spintronics; despite being polycrystalline, spin transport in CVD graphene has been measured over lengths up to 30 μm, which is on par with the best measurements made in single-crystal graphene. These results suggest that grain boundaries (GBs) in CVD graphene, while impeding charge transport, may have little effect on spin transport. However, to date very little is known about the true impact of disordered networks of GBs on spin relaxation. Here, by using first-principles simulations, we derive an effective tight-binding model of graphene GBs in the presence of spin-orbit coupling (SOC), which we then use to evaluate spin transport in realistic morphologies of polycrystalline graphene. The spin diffusion length is found to be independent of the grain size, and it is determined only by the strength of the substrate-induced SOC. This result is consistent with the D'yakonov-Perel' mechanism of spin relaxation in the diffusive regime, but we find that it also holds in the presence of quantum interference. These results clarify the role played by GBs and demonstrate that the average grain size does not dictate the upper limit for spin transport in CVD-grown graphene, a result of fundamental importance for optimizing large-scale graphene-based spintronic devices.

Recent Progress in the Fabrication, Properties, and Devices of Heterostructures Based on 2D Materials

With a large number of researches being conducted on two-dimensional (2D) materials, their unique properties in optics, electrics, mechanics, and magnetics have attracted increasing attention. Accordingly, the idea of combining distinct functional 2D materials into heterostructures naturally emerged that provides unprecedented platforms for exploring new physics that are not accessible in a single 2D material or 3D heterostructures. Along with the rapid development of controllable, scalable, and programmed synthesis techniques of high-quality 2D heterostructures, various heterostructure devices with extraordinary performance have been designed and fabricated, including tunneling transistors, photodetectors, and spintronic devices. In this review, we present a summary of the latest progresses in fabrications, properties, and applications of different types of 2D heterostructures, followed by the discussions on present challenges and perspectives of further investigations.

Two-Dimensional Flexible High Diffusive Spin Circuits

Owing to their unprecedented electronic properties, graphene and two-dimensional (2D) crystals have brought fresh opportunities for advances in planar spintronic devices. Graphene is an ideal medium for spin transport while being an exceptionally resilient material for flexible nanoelectronics. However, these extraordinary traits have never been combined to create flexible graphene spin circuits. Realizing such circuits could lead to bendable strain-spin sensors, as well as a unique platform to explore pure spin current based operations and low-power 2D flexible nanoelectronics. Here, we demonstrate graphene spin circuits on flexible substrates for the first time. Despite the rough topography of the flexible substrates, these circuits prepared with chemical vapor deposited monolayer graphene reveal an efficient room temperature spin transport with distinctively large spin diffusion coefficients ∼0.2 m² s^-1. Compared to earlier graphene devices on Si/SiO₂ substrates, such values are up to 20 times larger, leading to one order higher spin signals and an enhanced spin diffusion length ∼10 μm in graphene-based nonlocal spin valves fabricated using industry standard systems. This high performance arising out of a characteristic substrate terrain shows promise of a scalable and flexible platform towards flexible 2D spintronics. Our innovation is a key step for the exploration of strain-dependent 2D spin phenomena and paves the way for flexible graphene spin memory-logic units and planar spin sensors.

Room-Temperature Spin Hall Effect in Graphene/MoS2 van der Waals Heterostructures

Graphene is an excellent material for long-distance spin transport but allows little spin manipulation. Transition-metal dichalcogenides imprint their strong spin-orbit coupling into graphene via the proximity effect, and it has been predicted that efficient spin-to-charge conversion due to spin Hall and Rashba-Edelstein effects could be achieved. Here, by combining Hall probes with ferromagnetic electrodes, we unambiguously demonstrate experimentally the spin Hall effect in graphene induced by MoS₂ proximity and for varying temperatures up to room temperature. The fact that spin transport and the spin Hall effect occur in different parts of the same material gives rise to a hitherto unreported efficiency for the spin-to-charge voltage output. Additionally, for a single graphene/MoS₂ heterostructure-based device, we evidence a superimposed spin-to-charge current conversion that can be indistinguishably associated with either the proximity-induced Rashba-Edelstein effect in graphene or the spin Hall effect in MoS₂. By a comparison of our results to theoretical calculations, the latter scenario is found to be the most plausible one. Our findings pave the way toward the combination of spin information transport and spin-to-charge conversion in two-dimensional materials, opening exciting opportunities in a variety of future spintronic applications.

Dramatic magnetic phase designing in phosphorene

Phosphorene is a unique two-dimensional semiconductor that has huge potential for nanoelectronic and spintronic applications. In the presence of various 3d block elements, remarkable feasibility of ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism up to a large temperature ∼1150 K was observed.

Observation of giant spin–orbit interaction in graphene and heavy metal heterostructures

Graphene is a promising material demonstrating some interesting phenomena such as the spin Hall effect, bipolar transistor effect, and non-trivial topological states. However, graphene has an intrinsically small spin–orbit interaction (SOI), making it difficult to apply in spintronic devices. The electronic band structure of graphene makes it possible to develop a systematic method to enhance SOI extrinsically. In this study, we designed a graphene field-effect transistor with a Pb layer intercalated between graphene (Gr) and Au layers and studied the effect on the strength of the SOI. The SOI in our system was significantly increased to 80 meV, which led to a giant non-local signal (∼180 Ω) at room temperature due to the spin Hall effect. Further, we extract key parameters of spin transport from the length and width dependence of non-local measurement. To support these findings, we also measured the temperature and gate-dependent weak localization (WL) effect. We obtained the magnitude of the SOI and spin relaxation time of Gr via quantitative analysis of WL. The SOI magnitudes estimated from the non-local signal and the WL effect are close in value. The enhancement of the SOI of Gr at room temperature is a potential simple manipulation method to explore the use of this material for spin-based applications.

We used Pb as an intercalated layer between the graphene and Au and measured the spin–orbit interaction in local and non-local measurement configurations.

Spin-orbit coupling prevents spin channel suppression of transition metal atoms on armchair graphene nanoribbons

We investigate the spin-dependent electronic and transport properties of armchair graphene nanoribbons including spin-orbit coupling due to the presence of nickel and iridium adatoms by using ab initio calculations within the spin-polarized density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green's function formalism. Our results indicate that the intensity of the spin-flip precession is a direct consequence of the relaxed adsorption sites of the adatoms. We point out that d orbitals of Ni and Ir result in strong dependence on the spin-conserved and spin-flip transmission probabilities. In particular, we show that the presence of spin-orbit coupling can lead to an enhancement of the transmission probabilities especially around resonances arising due to weak coupling with specific orbitals.

Anisotropic Magneto-Coulomb Properties of 2D-0D Heterostructure Single Electron Device

Fabrication and spintronics properties of 2D-0D heterostructures are reported. Devices based on graphene ("Gr")-aluminium nanoclusters heterostructures show robust and reproducible single-electron transport features, in addition to spin-dependent functionality when using a top magnetic electrode. The magnetic orientation of this single ferromagnetic electrode enables the modulation of the environmental charge experienced by the aluminium nanoclusters. This anisotropic magneto-Coulomb effect, originating from spin-orbit coupling within the ferromagnetic electrode, provides tunable spin valve-like magnetoresistance signatures without the requirement of spin coherent charge tunneling. These results extend the capability of Gr to act both as electrode and as a platform for the growth of 2D-0D mixed-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures, providing magnetic functionalities in the Coulomb blockade regime on scalable spintronic devices. These heterostructures pave the way towards novel device architectures at the crossroads of 2D material physics and spin electronics.

Tailoring emergent spin phenomena in Dirac material heterostructures

Dirac materials such as graphene and topological insulators (TIs) are known to have unique electronic and spintronic properties. We combine graphene with TIs in van der Waals heterostructures to demonstrate the emergence of a strong proximity-induced spin-orbit coupling in graphene. By performing spin transport and precession measurements supported by ab initio simulations, we discover a strong tunability and suppression of the spin signal and spin lifetime due to the hybridization of graphene and TI electronic bands. The enhanced spin-orbit coupling strength is estimated to be nearly an order of magnitude higher than in pristine graphene. These findings in graphene-TI heterostructures could open interesting opportunities for exploring exotic physical phenomena and new device functionalities governed by topological proximity effects.

Dipolar magnetism in assembled Co nanoparticles on graphene

The magnetic properties of the assembled Co nanoparticles on graphene were studied using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), magneto-optical Kerr effects, and a modeling simulation. We demonstrate that the superparamagnetic nanoparticles reveal a ferromagnetic phase when they are assembled on graphene. The moderate increase of the XMCD asymmetry and magnetization with coverage for this assembly indicates a dipolar-mediated magnetism, which is further verified by a model simulation considering the dipolar interaction between neighboring nanoparticles. Furthermore, C K-edge spectra reveal visible dichroism at the π* state of graphene, which indicates the existence of a spin-polarized interface state, while the assembled Co nanoparticles reveal a ferromagnetic phase. These results suggest an efficient route to stabilize the ferromagnetic phase of nanostructures on graphene by tailoring dipolar interactions, which is essential to realize a higher efficiency of spin injection in graphene-based spintronics.

Sticking of atomic hydrogen on graphene

Recent years have witnessed an ever growing interest in the interactions between hydrogen atoms and a graphene sheet. Largely motivated by the possibility of modulating the electric, optical and magnetic properties of graphene, a huge number of studies have appeared recently that added to and enlarged earlier investigations on graphite and other carbon materials. In this review we give a glimpse of the many facets of this adsorption process, as they emerged from these studies. The focus is on those issues that have been addressed in detail, under carefully controlled conditions, with an emphasis on the interplay between the adatom structures, their formation dynamics and the electric, magnetic and chemical properties of the carbon sheet.

Spin transport in graphene/transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructures

This review summarizes the theoretical and experimental studies of spin transport in graphene interfaced with transition metal dichalcogenides, and assesses its potential for future spintronic applications.

Scale-invariant large nonlocality in polycrystalline graphene

The observation of large nonlocal resistances near the Dirac point in graphene has been related to a variety of intrinsic Hall effects, where the spin or valley degrees of freedom are controlled by symmetry breaking mechanisms. Engineering strong spin or valley Hall signals on scalable graphene devices could stimulate further practical developments of spin- and valleytronics. Here we report on scale-invariant nonlocal transport in large-scale chemical vapor deposition graphene under an applied external magnetic field. Contrary to previously reported Zeeman spin Hall effect, our results are explained by field-induced spin-filtered edge states whose sensitivity to grain boundaries manifests in the nonlocal resistance. This phenomenon, related to the emergence of the quantum Hall regime, persists up to the millimeter scale, showing that polycrystalline morphology can be imprinted in nonlocal transport. This suggests that topological Hall effects in large-scale graphene materials are highly sensitive to the underlying structural morphology, limiting practical realizations.

Strontium Oxide Tunnel Barriers for High Quality Spin Transport and Large Spin Accumulation in Graphene

The quality of the tunnel barrier at the ferromagnet/graphene interface plays a pivotal role in graphene spin valves by circumventing the impedance mismatch problem, decreasing interfacial spin dephasing mechanisms and decreasing spin absorption back into the ferromagnet. It is thus crucial to integrate superior tunnel barriers to enhance spin transport and spin accumulation in graphene. Here, we employ a novel tunnel barrier, strontium oxide (SrO), onto graphene to realize high quality spin transport as evidenced by room-temperature spin relaxation times exceeding a nanosecond in graphene on silicon dioxide substrates. Furthermore, the smooth and pinhole-free SrO tunnel barrier grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), which can withstand large charge injection current densities, allows us to experimentally realize large spin accumulation in graphene at room temperature. This work puts graphene on the path to achieve efficient manipulation of nanomagnet magnetization using spin currents in graphene for logic and memory applications.

Giant Spin Lifetime Anisotropy in Graphene Induced by Proximity Effects

We report on fundamental aspects of spin dynamics in heterostructures of graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). By using realistic models derived from first principles we compute the spin lifetime anisotropy, defined as the ratio of lifetimes for spins pointing out of the graphene plane to those pointing in the plane. We find that the anisotropy can reach values of tens to hundreds, which is unprecedented for typical 2D systems with spin-orbit coupling and indicates a qualitatively new regime of spin relaxation. This behavior is mediated by spin-valley locking, which is strongly imprinted onto graphene by TMDCs. Our results indicate that this giant spin lifetime anisotropy can serve as an experimental signature of materials with strong spin-valley locking, including graphene-TMDC heterostructures and TMDCs themselves. Additionally, materials with giant spin lifetime anisotropy can provide an exciting platform for manipulating the valley and spin degrees of freedom, and for designing novel spintronic devices.

Hall sensors batch-fabricated on all-CVD h-BN/graphene/h-BN heterostructures

The two-dimensional (2D) material graphene is highly promising for Hall sensors due to its potential of having high charge carrier mobility and low carrier concentration at room temperature. Here, we report the scalable batch-fabrication of magnetic Hall sensors on graphene encapsulated in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) using commercially available large area CVD grown materials. The all-CVD grown h-BN/graphene/h-BN van der Waals heterostructures were prepared by layer transfer technique and Hall sensors were batch-fabricated with 1D edge metal contacts. The current-related Hall sensitivities up to 97 V/AT are measured at room temperature. The Hall sensors showed robust performance over the wafer scale with stable characteristics over six months in ambient environment. This work opens avenues for further development of growth and fabrication technologies of all-CVD 2D material heterostructures and allows further improvements in Hall sensor performance for practical applications.

Large room temperature spin-to-charge conversion signals in a few-layer graphene/Pt lateral heterostructure

Electrical generation and detection of pure spin currents without the need of magnetic materials are key elements for the realization of full electrically controlled spintronic devices. In this framework, achieving a large spin-to-charge conversion signal is crucial, as considerable outputs are needed for plausible applications. Unfortunately, the values obtained so far have been rather low. Here we exploit the spin Hall effect by using Pt, a non-magnetic metal with strong spin-orbit coupling, to generate and detect pure spin currents in a few-layer graphene channel. Furthermore, the outstanding properties of graphene, with long-distance spin transport and higher electrical resistivity than metals, allow us to achieve in our graphene/Pt lateral heterostructures the largest spin-to-charge output voltage at room temperature reported so far in the literature. Our approach opens up exciting opportunities towards the implementation of spin-orbit-based logic circuits and all electrical control of spin information without magnetic field.

Spintronic devices with full electrical control rely on electrical generation and detection of spin currents in the absence of magnetic materials. Here, the authors use Pt, a non-magnetic metal, to generate and detect pure spin currents in a few-layer graphene channel, achieving a remarkable spin-to-charge voltage signal at room temperature.

Enhanced paramagnetism of mesoscopic graphdiyne by doping with nitrogen

The new two-dimensional graphitic material, graphdiyne, has attracted great interest recently due to the superior intrinsic semiconductor properties. Here we investigate the magnetism of pure graphdiyne material and find it demonstrating a remarkable paramagnetic characteristic, which can be attributed to the appearance of special sp-hybridized carbon atoms. On this basis, we further introduce nitrogen with 5.29% N/C ratio into graphdiyne followed by simply annealing in a dopant source and realize a twofold enhancement of saturation moment at 2 K. Associate with the density of states calculation, we investigate the influence of the nitrogen atom doping sites on paramagnetism, and further reveal the important role of doped nitrogen atom on benzene ring in improving local magnetic moment. These results can not only help us deeply understand the intrinsic magnetism of graphdiyne, but also open an efficient way to improve magnetism of graphdiyne by hetero atom doping, like nitrogen doping, which may promote the potential application of graphdiyne in spintronics.

Spin Hall Effect and Weak Antilocalization in Graphene/Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Heterostructures

We report on a theoretical study of the spin Hall Effect (SHE) and weak antilocalization (WAL) in graphene/transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) heterostructures, computed through efficient real-space quantum transport methods, and using realistic tight-binding models parametrized from ab initio calculations. The graphene/WS₂ system is found to maximize spin proximity effects compared to graphene on MoS₂, WSe₂, or MoSe₂ with a crucial role played by disorder, given the disappearance of SHE signals in the presence of strong intervalley scattering. Notably, we found that stronger WAL effects are concomitant with weaker charge-to-spin conversion efficiency. For further experimental studies of graphene/TMDC heterostructures, our findings provide guidelines for reaching the upper limit of spin current formation and for fully harvesting the potential of two-dimensional materials for spintronic applications.

Ab initio studies of coherent spin transport in Fe-hBN/graphene van der Waals multilayers

This paper presents the results of ab initio studies of the electronic spin inversion and filtering in a ferromagnetic multilayer heterostructure. Spin-polarized electronic structure calculations are performed based on van der Waals density functional theory to give unique insights in to the generation, manipulation and transport of coherent spin conductance. By using an exact theory of the self-consistent ground state of the Fe-hBN/graphene multilayer as a model of the magnetic tunnel junction, hidden asymmetries are unraveled in the spin-resolved charge densities. It is shown that the injection of spin into the graphene/boron nitride tunnel layer from a ferromagnetic contact gives rise to coherent spin current. The projected Fermi surfaces of the up and down spin channels are analyzed to reveal Fermi arc topologies and spin anisotropies. It is also demonstrated that the coherent transport of pure spin-down current in the topological Weyl semimetal phase is robust. The implications of the results on out-of-plane transport of spin polarized conductance in van der Waals multilayer spintronic devices is discussed. The insights derived from this study are expected to open up prospects for further exploration of van der Waals magnetic multilayer heterostructures as a versatile platform for developing materials for Weyltronic applications.

Electrical gate control of spin current in van der Waals heterostructures at room temperature

Two-dimensional (2D) crystals offer a unique platform due to their remarkable and contrasting spintronic properties, such as weak spin–orbit coupling (SOC) in graphene and strong SOC in molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂). Here we combine graphene and MoS₂ in a van der Waals heterostructure (vdWh) to demonstrate the electric gate control of the spin current and spin lifetime at room temperature. By performing non-local spin valve and Hanle measurements, we unambiguously prove the gate tunability of the spin current and spin lifetime in graphene/MoS₂ vdWhs at 300 K. This unprecedented control over the spin parameters by orders of magnitude stems from the gate tuning of the Schottky barrier at the MoS₂/graphene interface and MoS₂ channel conductivity leading to spin dephasing in high-SOC material. Our findings demonstrate an all-electrical spintronic device at room temperature with the creation, transport and control of the spin in 2D materials heterostructures, which can be key building blocks in future device architectures.

Two-dimensional materials are unique to build heterostructures with contrasting spintronic properties. Here, Dankert and Dash utilize a van der Waals heterostructure with graphene and MoS₂ to demonstrate an all-electrical device for creation, transport and control of the spin current up to room temperature.