title: Spin-orbit proximity effect in graphene.
abstract: The development of spintronics devices relies on efficient generation of spin-polarized currents and their electric-field-controlled manipulation. While observation of exceptionally long spin relaxation lengths makes graphene an intriguing material for spintronics studies, electric field modulation of spin currents is almost impossible due to negligible intrinsic spin-orbit coupling of graphene. In this work, we create an artificial interface between monolayer graphene and few-layer semiconducting tungsten disulphide. In these devices, we observe that graphene acquires spin-orbit coupling up to 17 meV, three orders of magnitude higher than its intrinsic value, without modifying the structure of the graphene. The proximity spin-orbit coupling leads to the spin Hall effect even at room temperature, and opens the door to spin field effect transistors. We show that intrinsic defects in tungsten disulphide play an important role in this proximity effect and that graphene can act as a probe to detect defects in semiconducting surfaces.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [2] Graphene Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avsar
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [2] Graphene Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [2] Graphene Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taychatanapat
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [2] Graphene Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [2] Graphene Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [3] NanoCore, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
authors.forename: G K W
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Koon
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [2] Graphene Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [2] Graphene Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lahiri
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [2] Graphene Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Rodin
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [2] Graphene Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore.
authors.forename: E C T
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: O'Farrell
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [2] Graphene Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eda
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [2] Graphene Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Castro Neto
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [2] Graphene Research Center, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542, Singapore [3] NanoCore, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Özyilmaz