Exploiting spin transport in 2D materials for computation beyond Moore's law

Two-dimensional (2D) materials like graphene, a single-layer of carbon atoms, exhibit remarkable electronic and thermal properties that make them promising for future electronic devices. Recently, interest in these materials has increased even more due to the possibility of stacking single layers of these materials in a sandwich structure, which leads to novel physical effects where the properties of the different layers combine to enable new functionality. Among these novel effects is the interplay between the charge and the magnetism of electrons, which is studied in a field called spintronics that underpins our current magnetic data storage technologies.

This PhD student project has the following objectives:
- Investigate spin transport in graphene encapsulated between other 2D materials (hexagonal boron nitride) in order to probe the sources of spin relaxation in graphene.
- Explore different methods of boosting the electrical control of spin transport in graphene.

The student will take the following approaches:
- Develop and improve an experimental set up used to measure spin transport in nanodevices.
- Explore different methods of boosting electrical control of spin currents, including building complex sandwiches made of 2D materials.

The student will investigate electrical transport properties in graphene for spintronics, using graphene in combination with magnetic materials and other novel 2D materials, and demonstrate principles of future spintronic technologies. This effort will take place at the intersection of the fields of magnetism, electronics, and nanotechnology.