Lithium doped graphene as spintronic devices

TL;DR

This study uses density functional theory to explore lithium-doped graphene nanoflakes as potential spintronic devices, demonstrating their ability to act as molecular magnets, switches, and memory elements through orbital switching.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of using bilayer lithium-doped graphene nanoflakes as spintronic devices, highlighting the orbital switching mechanism for memory and switching functionalities.

Findings

Bilayer graphene nanoflakes exhibit orbital switching between layers.

Lithium doping enables magnetic and spintronic properties.

Potential for spintronic memory and switch applications.

Abstract

Generating spintronic devices has been a goal for the nano-science. We have used density function theory to determine magnetic phases of single layer and bilayer lithium doped graphene nanoflakes. We have introduced graphene flakes as single molecular magnets, spin on/off switches and spintronic memory devices. To aim this goal, adsorption energies, spin polarizations, electronic gaps, magnetic properties and robustness of spin-polarized states have been studied in the presence of dopants and second layers. We find that for bilayer SMMs with two layers of different sizes the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital switch between the layers. Based on this switch of molecular orbitals in a bilayer graphene SMM, spin on/off switches and spintronic memory devices could be achievable.