In the rapidly evolving landscape of electronic materials and devices, the integration of two-dimensional materials, graphene in particular, with magnetic elements has emerged as a promising frontier. The ability to engineer spin-dependent electronic properties not only expands the horizons of spintronics but also holds the potential to revolutionize a wide array of electronic applications. From ultra-fast data processing to energy-efficient memory storage and beyond, the synergistic interplay between graphene and magnetic layers opens new routes for device miniaturization, aiming at reduced power consumption and enhanced performance.
Along these lines, the realization of topological electronic flattened bands near or at the Fermi level represents a promising avenue for the emergence of exotic electronic and magnetic states. One of the key attributes of flat bands is their facile electrical tunability, allowing for the exploration of correlated phases such as unconventional superconductivity, quantum states, and insulating topological states, all within two-dimensional platforms and without the need for an applied magnetic field.
An alternative approach to generate flat bands in graphene involves exploiting the Spin-Orbit Coupling (SOC) effect induced by the proximity to magnetic and/or heavy-metal layers. Monolayer graphene (Gr) interfaced with 3d-ferromagnetic and 4f-materials presents compelling technological prospects, bridging the realms of spintronics, ultra-fast graphene-based electronics, and photonics. While Gr/3d-ferromagnetic systems exhibit strong hybridization, impacting the electronic properties of graphene, Gr/4f-ferromagnetic interfaces demonstrate a weak interaction that preserves graphene’s electronic structure.
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Image: Landscape of the structural and electronic properties upon Eu intercalation in Gr/Co(0001). LEED patterns acquired at a kinetic energy of 69 eV (a, d), 2D momentum maps at the Fermi level (b, e) and ARPES energy vs. momentum maps (c, f) acquired at the K point of the first Brillouin zone for Gr/Co and Gr/Eu/Co, respectively.