Approaching magnetic ordering in graphene materials by FeCl${}_3$ intercalation

Abstract

We show the successful intercalation of large area (1 cm${}^2$) epitaxial few-layer graphene grown on 4H-SiC with FeCl${}_3$. Upon intercalation the resistivity of this system drops from an average value of $\approx 200\hat{I}\text{c◯}/sq$ to $\approx 16\hat{I}\text{c◯}/sq$ at room temperature. The magneto-conductance shows a weak localization feature with a temperature dependence typical of graphene Dirac fermions demonstrating the decoupling into parallel hole gases of each carbon layer composing the FeCl${}_3$ intercalated structure. The phase coherence length ($\approx 1.2\hat{I}¼$m at 280 mK) decreases rapidly only for temperatures higher than the 2-D magnetic ordering in the intercalant layer while it tends to saturate for temperatures lower than the antiferromagnetic ordering between the planes of FeCl${}_3$ molecules providing the first evidence for magnetic ordering in the extreme two-dimensional limit of graphene.

Nano Lett, volume 14, no. 4, pages 1751-1755