Researchers from the University of York and Roma Tre University developed a method to build ultra-low-power transistors using composite materials based on single layers of graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC). These materials can be used to achieve an electrical control over electron spin.
The teams explained âwe found this can be achieved with little effort when 2D graphene is paired with certain semiconducting layered materials. Our calculations show that the application of small voltages across the graphene layer induces a net polarization of conduction spins".
The team showed that when a small current is passed through the graphene layer, the electronsâ spin polarize in plane due to âspin-orbitalâ forces brought about by the proximity to the TMDC base. They also showed the efficiency of charge-to-spin conversion can be quite high, even at room temperature.