Electrically tunable lateral spin-valve transistor based on bilayer CrI3

The recent discovery of two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials has opened new frontiers for the design of nanoscale spintronic devices. Among 2D nano-magnets, bilayer CrI3 outstands for its antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling and its electrically-mediated magnetic state control. Here, leveraging on CrI3 magnetic and electrical properties, we propose a lateral spin-valve transistor based on bilayer CrI3, where the spin transport is fully controlled via an external electric field. The proposed proof-of-concept device, working in the ballistic regime, is able to both filter (>99%) and select ON/OFF the spin current up to a ratio of & AP;10(2), using a double split-gate architecture. Our results obtained exploiting a multiscale approach ranging from first-principles to out-of-equilibrium transport calculations, open unexplored paths towards the exploitation of bilayer CrI3 or related 2D nano-magnets, as a promising platform for future electrically tunable, compact, and scalable spintronic devices.

Automated summary

The recent discovery of two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials has opened new frontiers for the design of nanoscale spintronic devices. Among these materials, bilayer CrI3 has attracted attention for its antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling and electrically-mediated magnetic state control. In this study, we propose a lateral spin-valve transistor based on bilayer CrI3, which can fully control spin transport using an external electric field. The proposed device, working in the ballistic regime, can filter and select the spin current with high efficiency (>99%) and an ON/OFF ratio of up to 10^2, utilizing a double split-gate architecture. These findings, obtained through a multiscale approach, suggest the potential of bilayer CrI3 or related 2D magnet materials as a promising platform for electrically tunable and scalable spintronic devices.