The Two-Dimensional MnO2/Graphene Interface: Half-metallicity and Quantum Anomalous Hall State

Abstract

We explore the electronic properties of the MnO2/graphene interface by first-principles calculations, showing that MnO2 becomes half-metallic. MnO2 in the MnO2/graphene/MnO2 system provides time-reversal and inversion symmetry breaking. Spin splitting by proximity occurs at the Dirac points and a topologically nontrivial band gap is opened, enabling a quantum anomalous Hall state. The half-metallicity, spin splitting, and size of the band gap depend on the interfacial interaction, which can be tuned by strain engineering.