Speaker
Description
The emergence of 2D materials has transformed solid-state physics. The key factor driving research into 2D materials is the ability to efficiently control the atomic-scale physical properties of monolayers and their heterostructures, which involve weak yet important van der Waals interactions. Spintronics aims to utilize the spin of conduction electrons to develop devices like spin transistors and tunneling junctions. Since the early experiments in graphene, spintronics has advanced, establishing a solid understanding of spin physics in monolayers. Current research focuses on van der Waals heterostructures, which serve as tailored platforms to explore new spintronic phenomena. Tuning electron spin properties in these structures mainly relies on the proximity effect. For instance, ferromagnetic graphene can be created by stacking it with 2D ferromagnetic semiconductors. Additionally, such spin properties of graphene's itinerant electrons can be tuned through methods like gating and twisting. By combining ferromagnets with strong spin-orbit materials, unique structures can be created that allow for tunable spin interactions. In this talk, I will discuss the recent advances in spin proximity phenomena, but also potential applications related to spin-charge conversion and spin-orbit torques. Funding from CRC1277, EU 2DSPIN-TECH, and SPP2244 is acknowledged.
