Towards fully two-dimensional spintronic devices

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a fully 2D spintronic device using graphene and magnetic heterostructures, avoiding traditional 3D magnetic contacts, and introduces a damage-free electrode fabrication method for delicate materials.

Contribution

It presents the first experimental realization of a 2D spin-valve device with spin signals from magnetic graphene, eliminating the need for air-sensitive 3D contacts and introducing a novel fabrication technique.

Findings

Long spin relaxation length achieved in graphene-based heterostructures

Avoidance of conductivity mismatch with all-2D materials

Damage-free electrode fabrication suitable for air-sensitive materials

Abstract

Within the field of spintronics major efforts are directed towards developing applications for spin-based transport devices made fully out of two-dimensional (2D) materials. In this work we present an experimental realization of a spin-valve device where the generation of the spin signal is exclusively attributed to the spin-dependent conductivity of the magnetic graphene resulting from the proximity of an interlayer antiferromagnet, CrSBr. We clearly demonstrate that the usage of the conventional 3D magnetic contacts, that are commonly air-sensitive and incompatible with practical technologies, can be fully avoided when graphene/CrSBr heterostructures are employed. Moreover, apart from providing exceptionally long spin relaxation length, the usage of graphene for both generation and transport of the spin allows to automatically avoid the conductivity mismatch between the source and the channel circuits that has to be considered when using conventional low-resistive contacts. Our results address a necessary step in the engineering of spintronic circuitry out of layered materials and precede further developments in the area of complex spin-logic devices. Moreover, we introduce a fabrication procedure where we designed and implemented a recipe for the preparation of electrodes via a damage-free technique that offers an immediate advantage in the fields of air-sensitive and delicate organic materials.