Electric‐Field‐Tunable Bipolar Linear Magnetoelectric Effect in Zigzag Graphene Nanoribbon‐Based Antiferromagnet

Abstract

Modern electronic devices are moving toward miniaturization and integration. Therefore, achieving electrical control of magnetization effectively in 1D materials represents a promising field for the practical applications in memory elements. Herein, it is discovered, from first‐principles calculations, that an electric‐field‐tunable bipolar linear magnetoelectric effect can be realized in 1D antiferromagnets based on double‐Gd‐adsorbed graphene nanoribbon with four zigzag carbon chains (2Gd‐4ZGNR). It is found that, compared with the bare 4ZGNR, the adsorption of two Gd atoms on the 4ZGNR reduces the bandgap. As a result, 2Gd‐4ZGNR transits from antiferromagnetic semiconductor to ferrimagnetic metal at a relatively low critical external transverse (perpendicular) electric field, where the net magnetic moment can be induced. The antiferromagnetism and inversion‐symmetrical crystal structure further allow to realize a bipolar linear magnetoelectric effect, where the 2Gd‐4ZGNR forms two groups of independent linear magnetic response states, acting as a magnetoelectric memory element.