Spin-filtering, giant magnetoresistance, rectifying and negative differential resistance effects in planar four-coordinate Fe complex with graphene nanoribbon electrodes.

Abstract

By using the nonequilibrium Green's function formalism combined with the density functional theory, we have investigated the spin-polarized transport properties of a planar four-coordinate Fe complex sandwiched between two zigzag-edge graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR) electrodes, where the ZGNRs are modulated by external magnetic field. The results show that the system can exhibit perfect dual spin-filtering and spin-rectifying effects at a wide bias range, giant magnetoresistance effect with large magnetoresistance ratio at small bias, and obvious negative differential resistance behavior. The mechanisms are proposed for these phenomena.