Nanowerk April 13, 2023
The discovery of van der Waals (vdW) magnets opened a new paradigm for condensed matter physics and spintronic technologies. However, the operations of active spintronic devices with vdW ferromagnets are limited to cryogenic temperatures, inhibiting their broader practical applications. Researchers in Sweden have demonstrated robust room-temperature operation of lateral spin-valve devices using the vdW itinerant ferromagnet Fe5GeTe2 in heterostructures with graphene. They measured room-temperature spintronic properties of Fe5GeTe2 at the interface with graphene with a negative spin polarization. Lateral spin-valve and spin-precession measurements provided unique insights by probing the Fe5GeTe2/graphene interface spintronic properties via spin-dynamics measurements, revealing multidirectional spin polarization. Density functional theory calculations in conjunction with Monte Carlo simulations revealed significantly canted Fe magnetic moments in Fe5GeTe2 along with the presence of negative spin polarization at the Fe5GeTe2/graphene interface. According to the researchers these findings open opportunities for vdW interface design and applications of vdW-magnet-based spintronic devices at ambient temperatures… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Room-temperature spin-valve with Fe5GeTe2/graphene heterostructure… Credit: Advanced Materials Early View 2209113