Graphene, an ideal material for spintronics

CIC nanoGUNE Seminars

Speaker

Ivan Vera-Marun, University of Gronigen

When

2013/04/29
13:00

Place

nanoGUNE seminar room, Tolosa Hiribidea 76, Donostia - San Sebastian

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**Host** :Felix Casanova New materials and devices with enhanced spin functionality open the door for faster, energy-efficient and reconfigurable electronics. Graphene, a one-atom-thick layer of carbon, has risen as an attractive system with the potential to realize this vision. Therefore it is crucial to understand the mechanisms currently limiting spin transport in graphene and to develop new device architectures that take advantage of its excellent transport properties. Here we present recent results addressing these questions. We have taken steps towards exploring the intrinsic spintronic properties by fabricating high quality spintronic devices featuring suspended graphene bridges which do not interact with the substrate. Alternatively, we modify graphene by placing hydrogen adsorbates leading to the observation of an enhanced spin lifetime, and gauge the role of magnetic contacts on the spin relaxation. Finally, we explore novel energy-dependent phenomena that result in a nonlinear interplay between charge and spin currents. This interplay is exploited for detecting spin currents even with nonmagnetic contacts, allowing new device architectures generally applicable to the field of semiconductor spintronics.