Gate-induced half-metallicity in semihydrogenated silicene

• Published in: Physica. E, Low-dimensional systems & nanostructures Vol. 56; pp. 43 - 47
• Main Authors: Pan, Feng, Quhe, Ruge, Ge, Qi, Zheng, Jiaxin, Ni, Zeyuan, Wang, Yangyang, Gao, Zhengxiang, Wang, Lu, Lu, Jing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.02.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electron states; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; First-principles calculation; Half-metallicity; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetoelectric, magnetostrictive, magnetoacoustic, magnetooptic and magnetothermal devices. Spintronics; Methods of electronic structure calculations; Physics; Quantum transport; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Silicene; Small particles and nanoscale materials; Studies of specific magnetic materials; First-principles calculation; Silicene; Quantum transport; Half-metallicity; Transport properties; Semiconductor materials; Ferromagnetic materials; Polarized spin; Metallicity; Density functional method; Logic gates; Ab initio calculations; Spin filter; Gates; Quantum theory; Spintronics
• ISSN: 1386-9477; 1873-1759
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physe.2013.08.011

The first-principles calculations indicate that the semihydrogenated silicene (H@Silicene) is a ferromagnetic semiconductor. By the ab initio quantum transport theory, we study for the first time the transport properties of H@Silicene with pristine silicene as electrodes. A high on/off current ratio of 106 is obtained in the single-gated H@Silicene device. More importantly, a spin-polarized current can be generated. The spin-filter efficiency increases with the gate voltage and reaches 100% at a voltage of 1.9V. Our results suggest that a gate voltage can induce half-metallicity in H@Silicene. Therefore, a new avenue is opened for H@Silicene in application of spintronics. •Semihydrogenation can induce half-metallicity in silicene.•The transport properties of semihydrogenated silicene were studied by ab initio quantum transport theory.•A high on/off current ratio of 106 was obtained in the single-gated semihydrogenated silicene device.•A spin-polarized current was observed in the studied device, and the spin-filter efficiency can reach 100% at a voltage of 1.9V.