Ferromagnetic CrBr$_3$-Induced Graphene Spintronics

TL;DR

This paper proposes a graphene-based spin valve with ${CrBr}_3$ ferromagnetic insulators, demonstrating how proximity effects influence electronic properties and magnetization, with potential applications in advanced spintronic devices.

Contribution

It introduces a novel graphene/${CrBr}_3$ heterostructure spin valve and provides detailed density functional theory analysis of its electronic and magnetic properties.

Findings

Finite energy gap at specific k-points in antiparallel magnetization

Proximity coupling affects in-plane conductivity of ${CrBr}_3$ layers

Significant impact on spintronic device potential

Abstract

Our proposed spin valve prototype showcases a sophisticated design featuring a two-dimensional graphene bilayer positioned between layers of ${CrBr}_3$ ferromagnetic insulators. In this model, proximity coupling plays a pivotal role, influencing the magnetization orientations of the graphene layers and significantly impacting the \textit{in-plane} conductivity of the ${CrBr}_3$ layers. In this present work, we position the graphene bilayer between two layers of the ferromagnetic insulator ${CrBr}_3$ to establish this configuration. Using density functional theory, we conduct detailed computations to analyze the electronic structure of this sandwiched system. Our findings reveal a notable finite gap at specific \textit{k}-points, particularly evident in the antiparallel configuration of the magnetizations. This finding represents a significant advancement in spintronics, underscoring the potential of our spin valve prototype to drive innovation in electronic device technologies.