Localized Magnetic States in Graphene

TL;DR

This paper investigates how localized magnetic moments can form on adatoms in graphene, revealing unique control via electric fields due to graphene's distinctive electronic properties.

Contribution

It demonstrates that magnetic moments can form at arbitrarily small charging energies in graphene and introduces electric field control of magnetism, unlike in other materials.

Findings

Magnetic moments form at any small charging energy in graphene.

Electric fields can control the formation of magnetic moments.

Unique scaling behavior of magnetic boundary in graphene.

Abstract

We examine the conditions necessary for the presence of localized magnetic moments on adatoms with inner shell electrons in graphene. We show that the low density of states at the Dirac point, and the anomalous broadening of the adatom electronic level,lead to the formation of magnetic moments for arbitrarily small local charging energy. As a result, we obtain an anomalous scaling of the boundary separating magnetic and non-magnetic states. We show that, unlike any other material, the formation of magnetic moments can be controlled by an electric field effect.