Adiabatically twisting a magnetic molecule to generate pure spin currents in graphene

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that adiabatic twisting of a single molecule magnet in graphene can generate pure, controllable spin currents via quantum pumping, resilient to temperature and disorder effects.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of generating and controlling pure spin currents in graphene using adiabatic twisting of a molecule magnet, unaffected by temperature or disorder.

Findings

Pure spin currents can be generated via quantum pumping in graphene.

Spin currents are resilient to temperature variations.

Magnetization controls the direction of spin currents independently of disorder.

Abstract

The spin orbit effect in graphene is too muted to have any observable significance with respect to its application in spintronics. However, graphene technology is too valuable to be rendered impotent to spin transport. In this communication we look at the effect of adiabatically twisting a single molecule magnet embedded in a graphene monolayer. Surprisingly, we see that pure spin currents (zero charge current) can be generated from the system via quantum pumping. In addition we also see spin selective current can also be pumped from the system. The pure spin current seen is quite resilient to temperature while disorder has a limited effect. Further the direction of these spin pumped currents can be easily and exclusively controlled by the magnetization of the single molecule magnet with disorder having no effect on the magnetization control of the pumped spin currents.