CHARGE AND SPIN TRANSPORT STUDIES IN GRAPHENE AND BLACK PHOSPHORUS

Transport studies in graphene and black phosphorus two-dimensional systems will be explored in this thesis. Specifically, I studied the spin transport and spin characteristics of graphene subjected to an enhancement of its otherwise low intrinsic spin-orbit coupling. Taking advantage of its flexibility for engineering modification, we enhanced the spin-orbit coupling via chemical functionalization and metallic adatom decoration. With the initial aim of studying spin transport in black phosphorus which has an energy band gap, I unexpectedly uncovered black phosphorus? potential as an outstanding thermoelectric material. Our discovery also agrees well with a recent theoretical prediction of high thermopower factor in black phosphorus. The published works on graphene spintronics described in this thesis are both scientifically enlightening and technologically promising. We have also demonstrated the first thermoelectric response in few layer black phosphorus crystals and the performance of this elemental semiconductor is comparable to the state of the art hybrid heterostructures/nanostructures.

Author dc:creator

• GAVIN KOON KOK WAI

• adatoms, spin hall effect, graphene, black phosphorus, thermoelectrics, figure of merit