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Graphene spintronics

Nature Nanotechnology volume 9, pages 794–807 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

The isolation of graphene has triggered an avalanche of studies into the spin-dependent physical properties of this material and of graphene-based spintronic devices. Here, we review the experimental and theoretical state-of-art concerning spin injection and transport, defect-induced magnetic moments, spin–orbit coupling and spin relaxation in graphene. Future research in graphene spintronics will need to address the development of applications such as spin transistors and spin logic devices, as well as exotic physical properties including topological states and proximity-induced phenomena in graphene and other two-dimensional materials.

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Figure 1: Spin injection and transport in graphene spin valves.
Figure 2: Magnetic moment in graphene due to light adatoms and vacancy defects.
Figure 3: Band structure topologies of graphene with spin–orbit coupling in a transverse electric field.
Figure 4: Experimental studies of spin relaxation in graphene.
Figure 5: Spin relaxation mechanisms in graphene.
Figure 6: Spin logic application of graphene spin valves.

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Acknowledgements

W.H. and R.K. acknowledge the support of ONR (N00014-14-1-0350), NSF (DMR-1310661), NSF-MRSEC (DMR-1420451), NRI-NSF (NEB-1124601) and ARO (W911NF-11-1-0182). R.K. also acknowledges the support from C-SPIN, one of six centres of STARnet, a Semiconductor Research Corporation program sponsored by MARCO and DARPA. J.F. and M.G. acknowledge support by the DFG SFB 689, SPP 1285 and GRK 1570. J.F. also acknowledges support from EC under Graphene Flagship (contract no. CNECT-ICT-604391).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Center for Quantum Materials, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Wei Han

  2. Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing, 100871, China

    Wei Han

  3. IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, 95120, California, USA

    Wei Han

  4. Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, 43210, Ohio, USA

    Roland K. Kawakami

  5. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, 92521, California, USA

    Roland K. Kawakami

  6. Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, D-93040, Germany

    Martin Gmitra & Jaroslav Fabian

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  1. Wei Han
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Correspondence to Roland K. Kawakami or Jaroslav Fabian.

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Han, W., Kawakami, R., Gmitra, M. et al. Graphene spintronics. Nature Nanotech 9, 794–807 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2014.214

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