Nonvolatile electrical control of spin polarization in the 2D bipolar magnetic semiconductor VSeF

Abstract

Nonvolatile electrical control of spin polarization in two-dimensional (2D) magnetic semiconductors is greatly appealing toward future low-dissipation spintronic nanodevices. Here, we report a 2D material VSeF, which is an intrinsic bipolar magnetic semiconductor (BMS) featured with opposite spin-polarized valence and conduction band edges. We then propose a general nonvolatile strategy to manipulate both spin-polarized orientations in BMS materials by introducing a ferroelectric gate with proper band alignment. The spin-up/spin-down polarization of VSeF is successfully controlled by the electric dipole of ferroelectric bilayer Al₂Se₃, verifying the feasibility of the design strategy. The interfacial doping effect from ferroelectric gate also plays a role in enhancing the Curie temperature of the VSeF layer. Two types of spin field effect transistors, namely multiferroic memory and spin filter, are further achieved in VSeF/Al₂Se₃ and VSeF/Al₂Se₃/Al₂Se₃ multiferroic heterostructures, respectively. This work will stimulate the application of 2D BMS materials in future spintronic nanodevices.