Gate‐Tunable Spin Hall Effect in Trilayer Graphene/Group‐IV Monochalcogenide van der Waals Heterostructures

Abstract

Spintronic devices require materials that facilitate effective spin transport, generation, and detection. In this regard, graphene emerges as an ideal candidate for long‐distance spin transport owing to its minimal spin‐orbit coupling, which, however, limits its capacity for effective spin manipulation. This problem can be overcome by putting spin‐orbit coupling materials in close contact with graphene leading to spin‐orbit proximity and, consequently, efficient spin‐to‐charge conversion through mechanisms such as the spin Hall effect. Here, the gate‐dependent spin Hall effect in trilayer graphene proximitized with tin sulfide (SnS) is reported and quantified, a group‐IV monochalcogenide that has recently been predicted to be a viable alternative to transition‐metal dichalcogenides for inducing strong spin‐orbit coupling in graphene. The spin Hall angle exhibits a maximum around the charge neutrality point of graphene up to room temperature. The findings expand the library of materials that induce spin‐orbit coupling in graphene to a new class, group‐IV monochalcogenides, thereby highlighting the potential of 2D materials to pave the way for the development of innovative spin‐based devices and future technological applications.