Spin dynamics of graphene explained through supercomputing
Wednesday, August 2, 2017 - 05:22
in Physics & Chemistry
In a previous study, researchers found evidence to suggest that spin-orbit coupling (SOC) was greater in graphene/transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructures than in regular graphene. In principle, this phenomenon is a necessary prerequisite for the spin Hall effect (SHE), yet subsequent tests to measure the system's SHE gave inconclusive results. In a paper published this July in NanoLetters, researchers of the ICN2 Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience Group, led by ICREA Prof. Stephan Roche, were able to confirm the observations of an enhanced SOC, as well as propose a reasonable explanation as to why the SHE could not be measured experimentally.