Modulating the electronic and magnetic properties of graphene

Graphene, an sp(2) hybridized single sheet of carbon atoms organized in a honeycomb lattice, is a zero band gap semiconductor or semimetal. This emerging material has been the subject of recent intensive research due to the novelty of its structural, electronic, optical, mechanical, and magnetic properties. Due to these properties, graphene is a favorable material for the fabrication of electronic devices, transparent electrodes, spintronics devices, and a growing array of several other applications that explore the potential of this marvelous material. However, the lack of intrinsic band gap and nonmagnetic nature of graphene limit its practical applications in the widely expanding field of carbon-based devices. To take advantage of the hidden potential of this material, numerous techniques have been developed to tailor its electronic and magnetic properties. These methods include the mutual interaction between graphene layer and its substrate, doping with surface adatoms, substitutional doping, vacancy creation, and edges and strain manipulation. Herein, an overview of recently emerging innovative techniques adopted to tailor the electronic and magnetic properties of graphene is presented. The limitations, possible directions for future research and applications in diverse fields of these methods are also mentioned.