Nitrogen-induced Local Spin Polarization in Graphene on Cobalt

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how nitrogen doping in graphene on cobalt surfaces can control local spin polarization, enabling potential applications in spintronics through first principles calculations.

Contribution

It introduces a method to tailor local spin configurations in graphene on Co(0001) via nitrogen doping, highlighting site-specific effects and electric field controllability.

Findings

Nitrogen induces opposite local spin polarization at different sites.

Spin polarization is energy-dependent and controllable by electric field.

Potential application as a spin injection source in graphene spintronics.

Abstract

By means of first principles calculations we demonstrate an effective method to tailor the local spin configuration of graphene on Co(0001) surface through nitrogen doping. Two different site occupancies of the N impurities are discussed with the focus on structural, electronic and magnetic properties. N induces opposite local spin polarization at the two sites through Zener exchange-type hybridization with Co substrate. In addition, the induced spin polarization is energy dependent and controllable by electric field. Consequently this structure can be applied as a spin injection source in graphene based spintronics.