Magnetic dielectric- graphene- ferroelectric system as a promising non-volatile device for modern spintronics

TL;DR

This paper explores a magnetic dielectric-graphene-ferroelectric system that can serve as a non-volatile spin filter or spin valve, leveraging ferroelectric polarization to control spin-dependent electronic properties for advanced spintronic devices.

Contribution

It introduces a novel system combining EuO, graphene, and ferroelectrics, demonstrating tunable spin filtering and switching capabilities based on ferroelectric polarization control.

Findings

EuO induces a spin-asymmetric energy gap in graphene.

Fermi level tuning enables switching between spin filter and spin valve.

The system offers a promising approach for non-volatile spintronic devices.

Abstract

The conductivity of the system magnetic dielectric (EuO) - graphene channel - ferroelectric substrate was considered. The magnetic dielectric locally transforms the band spectrum of graphene by inducing an energy gap in it and making it spin-asymmetric with respect to the free electrons. The range of spontaneous polarization (2- 5)mC/m2 that can be easily realized in thin films of proper and incipient ferroelectrics, was under examination. It was demonstrated, that if the Fermi level in the graphene channel belongs to energy intervals where the graphene band spectrum, modified by EuO, becomes sharply spin-asymmetric, such a device can be an ideal non-volatile spin filter. Controlling of the Fermi level (e.g. by temperature that changes ferroelectric polarization) can convert a spin filter to a spin valve.