Current-Induced Spin Polarization in Topological Insulator–Graphene Heterostructures

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• 作者：Kristina Vaklinova ; Alexander Hoyer ; Marko Burghard ; Klaus Kern
• 刊名：Nano Letters
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：April 13, 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：16
• 期：4
• 页码：2595-2602
• 全文大小：529K
• 年卷期：0
• ISSN：1530-6992

文摘

Further development of the field of all-electric spintronics requires the successful integration of spin transport channels with spin injector/generator elements. While with the advent of graphene and related 2D materials high performance spin channel materials are available, the use of nanostructured spin generators remains a major challenge. Especially promising for the latter purpose are 3D topological insulators, whose 2D surface states host massless Dirac Fermions with spin-momentum locking. Here, we demonstrate injection of spin-polarized current from a topological insulator into graphene, enabled by its intimate coupling to an ultrathin Bi₂Te₂Se nanoplatelet within a van der Waals epitaxial heterostructure. The spin switching signal, whose magnitude scales inversely with temperature, is detectable up to ∼15 K. Our findings establish topological insulators as prospective future components of spintronic devices wherein spin manipulation is achieved by purely electrical means.