Realization of asymmetric spin splitting Dirac cones in antiferromagnetic graphene/CrAs₂/graphene heterotrilayer

Nonmagnetic graphene-based van der Waals heterotrilayers exhibit peculiar electronic features such as energetically and/or spatially resolved Dirac rings/cones. Here, using first-principles calculations we study the effect of magnetic proximity effect and mirror symmetry of antiferromagnetic CrAs₂ monolayer sandwiched between graphene on the Dirac cones. We clearly identify the common vertical shift of the Dirac bands in the spin up channel. While in the spin down channel, we surprisingly observe the remarkable transverse splitting Dirac cones. The underling mechanism can be attributed to the static electric field caused by the charge transfer between the interlayers, and the polarized field arising from the weakly magnetized graphene. Both fields collectively give rise to an inequivalent space inversion broken between graphene and CrAs₂ layers. Such unique Dirac states are absent in its nonmagnetic or ferromagnetic counterpart, ferromagnetic heterotrilayer with the glide symmetry, and graphene/CrAs₂ heterobilayer. Our findings would provide a new insight into the correlation between Dirac cones and magnetic monolayer sandwiched between graphene. (paper)