Ultra-long-range spin coupling in graphene revealed by atomically resolved spin excitations
Abstract
Magnetic interactions between localized spins-½ play a central role in quantum magnetism, spin-based quantum computing, and quantum simulation. The range and strength of these interactions are key figures of merit. Here, we probe exchange interactions in pairs of spins-½ introduced by chemisorption of individual hydrogen atoms on graphene. Using scanning tunneling microscopy and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy, supported by large-scale mean-field Hubbard calculations, we demonstrate 3 meV exchange couplings at separations beyond 10 nm, surpassing all prior systems. The couplings can be ferro- or antiferromagnetic depending on the relative sublattice arrangement. Real-space mapping of spin excitation amplitudes enables characterization with atomic-resolution. Through atomic manipulation we extend this control to spin trimers, revealing collective spin excitations when pairwise exchange couplings are comparable.
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BibTeX
@article{vinabausa2026ultralongrange,
title = {{Ultra-long-range spin coupling in graphene revealed by atomically resolved spin excitations}},
author = {Beatriz Viña-Bausá and António Tavares Costa and Joao Henriques and Eva Cortés-del Río and Roberto Carrasco and Pierre Mallet and Jean-Yves Veuillen and Joaquín Fernández-Rossier and Iván Brihuega},
journal = {Nature Communications},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-72624-0},
eprint = {2511.06887},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05805947v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Ultra-long-range spin coupling in graphene revealed by atomically resolved spin excitations
AU - Beatriz Viña-Bausá
AU - António Tavares Costa
AU - Joao Henriques
AU - Eva Cortés-del Río
AU - Roberto Carrasco
AU - Pierre Mallet
AU - Jean-Yves Veuillen
AU - Joaquín Fernández-Rossier
AU - Iván Brihuega
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/19
JO - Nature Communications
DO - 10.1038/s41467-026-72624-0
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05805947v1
AB - Magnetic interactions between localized spins-½ play a central role in quantum magnetism, spin-based quantum computing, and quantum simulation. The range and strength of these interactions are key figures of merit. Here, we probe exchange interactions in pairs of spins-½ introduced by chemisorption of individual hydrogen atoms on graphene. Using scanning tunneling microscopy and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy, supported by large-scale mean-field Hubbard calculations, we demonstrate 3 meV exchange couplings at separations beyond 10 nm, surpassing all prior systems. The couplings can be ferro- or antiferromagnetic depending on the relative sublattice arrangement. Real-space mapping of spin excitation amplitudes enables characterization with atomic-resolution. Through atomic manipulation we extend this control to spin trimers, revealing collective spin excitations when pairwise exchange couplings are comparable.
SN - 2041-1723
SN - 2041-1723
ER -