Spin-Polarized Semiconductor Induced by Magnetic Impurities in Graphene

TL;DR

This paper investigates how magnetic impurities in graphene influence its electronic properties, revealing that impurity distribution determines whether graphene becomes a spin-polarized semiconductor or a regular semiconductor.

Contribution

It demonstrates that impurity placement in graphene critically affects its magnetic and electronic behavior, introducing a method to induce spin polarization.

Findings

Random doping results in a semiconductor

Sublattice-specific impurities lead to spin-polarized semiconductor

Impurity distribution controls magnetic and electronic properties

Abstract

Magnetic impurities adsorbed on graphene are coupled magnetically via the itinerant electrons. This interaction opens a gap in the band structure of graphene. The result strongly depends on how the magnetic impurities are distributed. While random doping produces a semiconductor, if all or most impurities are located in the same sublattice, the spin degeneracy is removed and a spin-polarized semiconductor arises.