Tunable magnetism in strained graphene with topological line defect.

Abstract

We examine the magnetic properties of two-dimensional graphene with topological line defect using first-principles calculations and predict a weak ferromagnetic ground state with spin-polarized electrons localized along the extended line defect. Our results show that tensile strain along the zigzag direction can greatly enhance local magnetic moments and ferromagnetic stability of the system. In sharp contrast, tensile strain applied along the armchair direction quickly diminishes these magnetic moments. A detailed analysis reveals that this intriguing magnetism modulation by strain stems from the redistribution of spin-polarized electrons induced by local lattice distortion. It suggests a sensitive and effective way to control magnetic properties of graphene which is critical for its applications in nanoscale devices.