Tuning the spin transport properties of ferrocene-based single molecule junctions by different linkers

Abstract

Spin transport properties of a single ferrocene molecule connected between gold electrodes by amine (NH2), sulfur (S) and titanium (Ti) linkers are investigated using density functional theory through a non-equilibrium Green’s function approach. The results clearly reveal that the anchoring groups can significantly modify the spin-dependent properties due to shift of the frontier orbitals. This will give rise to some interesting phenomena including robust spin-filtering effect and obvious negative differential resistance behavior. Importantly, the linkers dramatically influence the bias region of spin-filtering diagram. The numerical results suggest that such single molecular junctions would be efficiently implemented for developing spintronic devices.