journal article·2025-11-20

Lifting Spin Degeneracy in Rhombohedral Trilayer Graphene for High Magnetoresistance Applications

Lishu Zhang, Jun Zhou, Jie Yang, Sumit Ghosh, Yi-Ming Zhao, Yuan Ping Feng, Lei Shen

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Abstract

Many exotic properties in rhombohedral (or ABC-stacked) multilayer graphene have recently been reported experimentally. In this Letter, we first reveal the underlying mechanism of spin degeneracy lifting in rhombohedral trilayer graphene. Then, we propose a design concept for all-rhombohedral graphene-based magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) by utilizing pristine, back-gated, and top-gated ABC-stacked trilayer graphene, which exhibit semimetallic (conducting), semiconducting (insulating), and half-metallic (ferromagnetic) behavior, respectively. This enables the realization of an "all-in-one" magnetic tunnel junction based entirely on trilayer graphene. This design enables voltage-controlled spintronics (lower power than conventional MTJs) with perfect interfacial matching and subnanometer thickness uniformity across 4-in. wafers. Using first-principles calculations and the nonequilibrium Green's function, we comprehensively study electronic structures and transport properties of these all-graphene MTJs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that their characteristics can be tuned via a perpendicular electric field and electron doping. Our findings offer a new concept for the development of fully graphene-based spintronic devices utilizing the three distinct electronic phases of rhombohedral trilayer graphene.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Graphene research and applications · 2D Materials and Applications · Topological Materials and Phenomena

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Key Laboratory for Liquid−Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education

Shandong University

Future Energy Acceleration & Translation (FEAT), Strategic Research & Translational Thrust (SRTT), A*STAR Research Entities, 1 Fusionopolis Way #20-10 Connexis North Tower, Singapore 138632, Republic of Singapore

Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis #08-03, Singapore 138634, Republic of Singapore

Key Laboratory of Material Physics, School of Physics, Ministry of Education

Zhengzhou University

The Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117575, Republic of Singapore

Department of Physics

National University of Singapore

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province · European Commission · Ministry of Education - Singapore · Key Scientific Research Project of Colleges and Universities in Henan Province · Taishan Scholar Project of Shandong Province · China Scholarship Council · National Natural Science Foundation of China · Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province · Key Technology Research and Development Program of Shandong Province

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