Analysis of heterostructures for spintronics shows how two desired quantum-physical effects reinforce each other

This article discusses recent advances in the development of heterostructures for spintronics, which aim to use electron spins for logic operations and data storage. The study focuses on combining graphene with a heavy metal (iridium) and a ferromagnetic layer (cobalt) to enhance two key quantum effects—spin-orbit splitting (Rashba effect) and spin canting (Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction)—which are essential for creating stable spin textures like skyrmions. These textures are crucial for spintronic devices, offering potential improvements in speed and energy efficiency compared to conventional semiconductor devices. The research shows that the interaction between graphene and iridium is enhanced by the cobalt layer, with three monolayers of cobalt yielding the best results. This discovery, supported by experimental data and density functional theory calculations, highlights the potential of graphene-based heterostructures for next-generation spintronic applications.

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