title: Graphene-based half-metal and spin-semiconductor for spintronic applications.
abstract: In this letter we propose a strategy to make graphene become a half-metal or spin-semiconductor by combining the magnetic proximity effects and sublattice symmetry breaking in graphone/graphene and graphone/graphene/BN heterostructures. Exchange interactions lift the spin degeneracy and sublattice symmetry breaking opens a band gap in graphene. More interestingly, the gap opening depends on the spin direction and the competition between the sublattice asymmetry and exchange field determines the system is a half-metal or a spin-semiconductor. By first-principles calculations and a low-energy effective model analysis, we elucidate the underlying physical mechanism of spin-dependent gap opening and spin degeneracy splitting. This offers an alternative practical platform for graphene-based spintronics.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, People's Republic of China. Key Laboratory for Intelligent Nano Materials and Devices of the Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210016, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jingshan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Xiaofang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kaige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng