Spin Filtering Effect Research Articles

The electron resistance of a single skyrmion within ballistic approach

An alternative way of skyrmion quasi-particle detection is simulated at low voltage bias. The point contact (PC), attached to the strip with a Néel-type skyrmion, can detect it with a higher efficiency than a magnetic tunnel junction. The method is based on detecting the skyrmion via the ballistic magnetoresistance ratio (BRR). PC's resistance with skyrmion significantly differs from the one without it. BRR is estimated in the framework of the point contact model for two directions of spin-polarized current: perpendicular to the transport direction (case 1) and along one (case 2). Skyrmion's size is assumed to be around 3.6 nm in diameter—smaller, or comparable, to the mean free path of electrons, allowing it to utilize the ballistic transport approach. As a result, resistance values for the considered Néel type skyrmion within the related size are estimated as 157 Ω for case 1 and 452.2 Ω for case 2 with optimistic BRR 101.3% and 291.7%, respectively. BRR for case 2 is higher due to the spin-filtering effect. The method also has the potential to detect the skyrmion type, or other magnetic nano structures such as bimeron, domain wall (DW), etc.

Unipolar spin diodes and unipolar spin switches by Spin-Transfer torque in doped graphether

Spin switches are a fundamental component in the majority of spintronic devices, and have found extensive application in data storage, logical data manipulation, and signal processing. An essential aspect of constructing a spin switch is determining a stable two-dimensional material, which is easy to control and produce. Theoretical studies have shown that graphether is particularly promising due to its exceptionally high melting point and outstanding air stability. The band structure can be modified by doping, making it an important material for spin switch applications. In this paper, we have calculated the electromagnetic properties of doped graphether by first principles. Then we select a modified graphether with P-type and N-type doping configurations to construct magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ). The results show that the MTJ exhibits perfect highly efficient spin switch as a result of spin reversal induced by spin-transfer torque (STT). In addition, our designed MTJ shows a remarkable rectification effect and spin filtering effect (SFE). According to our calculations, the modified graphether materials also show promise as two-dimensional spintronics materials.

Implementation of excellent spin-filtering effect in half-metallic electrode-based single-molecule optoelectronic devices

The application of half-metallic materials in single-molecule optoelectronic devices opens a promising way in advancing device performance and functionality, thus addressing a research question of significance. Here we propose a series of single-molecule devices with half-metallic FeN4-doped armchair graphene nanoribbon as electrodes and metalloporphyrin (MPr) molecules as photoresponsive materials for photon harvesting, which are driven by photogalvanic effects (PGEs). Through the quantum transport simulations, we systematically investigated the spin-polarized photocurrents under the linearly polarized light illumination in these devices. Since the exclusive opening only exists in the spin-up channel of the half-metallic nanoribbons, these devices can generate a large photocurrent in the spin-up direction whereas suppressing the spin-down photocurrent. Consequently, they exhibit an effective spin-filtering effect at numerous photon energies. Our study unveils the excellent spin-filtering effect achieved in single-molecule optoelectronic devices with half-metallic electrodes, showing instructive significance for the future design of new optoelectronic devices.

A spin-injected ferroelectric tunnel junction based on spin-dependent screening theory

In this work, spin transport in ferroelectric tunnel junctions with composite barriers and magnetic electrodes is investigated theoretically using spin-dependent screening theory. The shape of the insulator barrier and the electronic structure of the ferromagnetic electrode inevitably affect the spin transport properties. Interestingly, we find that when the Fermi level approaches the bottom of the minority-spin band of the electrode, an approximately ±100% bidirectional spin-filtering effect can be realized due to the included exchange potential with an appropriate electronic band structure of electrodes. Additionally, electrically induced magnetic reconstruction would occur on the electrode surface due to spin-dependent band bending. Our study significantly deepens the current understanding of spin-dependent screening on metal surfaces and at metal/ferroelectric interfaces and provides a feasible method for achieving the interface magnetoelectric effect.

Spin-polarized electrical transport properties of organic radicals in presence of zigzag-graphene nanoribbon leads.

The present work delves into the spin-polarized transport property of organic radicals sandwiched between two zigzag-graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR) electrodes by employing density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green's function technique. We demonstrated that the magnetic center(s) of the radical can manipulate the localized edge states of the ZGNR in the scattering region, causing ferromagnetic coupling. Such manipulation of the magnetic edges results in a high spin-filter effect in molecular junctions, and even the antiferromagnetic diradicals serve as nearly perfect spin filters. We have confirmed that this is a general phenomenon of ZGNR by analyzing two antiferromagnetic diradicals and a doublet. The spin-polarized density of states, transmission spectra, and current vs voltage curves of the systems provide strong evidence for our findings. This research strongly suggests that ZGNRs attached with organic radicals could be the perfect building blocks for spintronic materials.

Tuning magnetoresistance of chromium chloride tunnel junction through the interface and multi-field effect

<sec>Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) serve as essential platforms for investigating spin transport properties, magnetic phase transitions, and anisotropy in magnetic materials. Recently two-dimensional van der Waals antiferromagnetic insulators like chromium chloride (CrCl<sub>3</sub>) or chromium iodide (CrI<sub>3</sub>) have been used to develop spin-filtering magnetic tunnel junctions (sf-MTJs), improving the device performance for material property exploration and spintronic applications. However, it is crucial to recognize that the spin-filtering effect is not the sole determining factor of tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) in these junctions; the interface magnetic exchange interactions and adjustable electrode density of states (DOS) fluctuations, response to applied electric or magnetic fields, can also influence the tunneling current.</sec><sec>In this study, we fabricate MTJ devices by using mechanically-exfoliated few-layer CrCl<sub>3</sub> as the tunnel barrier and few-layer graphene (FLG) as electrodes through dry transfer technique. Conducting low-temperature quantum transport measurements, we observe unconventional TMR behaviors, including bias-voltage-dependent TMR, oscillatory tunneling current under high magnetic fields, and tunable tunneling current via gate voltage.</sec><sec>A qualitative model of elastic tunneling current is employed to analyze the spin and band characteristics of the MTJ device. The observed bias-voltage-dependent TMR is attributed to the changes in the tunneling mechanism due to magnetic proximity effect, which induces magnetization in the FLG electrode near the FLG/CrCl<sub>3</sub> interface. The antiparallel alignment of polarized spin to CrCl<sub>3</sub>’s magnetization results in injected charge carriers facing a higher tunnel barrier, leading to negative TMR at lower bias voltages. As the bias voltage increases, the magnetic proximity effect lessens, and the device reverts to its conventional spin-filtering functionality. The oscillatory tunneling current is explained by the graphene electrode’s quantum oscillatory density of states behavior under vertical magnetic fields, which can be controlled by the applied gate voltage.</sec><sec>This study contributes to the understanding of previously unexplored TMR phenomena in two-dimensional MTJs, deepening our insights into carrier transport properties in these heterostructures and broadening avenues for investigating the physical properties of two-dimensional magnetic materials and their spintronic applications.</sec>

Fano resonance in molecular junctions of spin crossover complexes.

In this paper, we introduce a novel molecular switch paradigm that integrates spin crossover complexes with the Fano resonance effect. Specifically, by performing density-functional theory calculations, the feasibility of achieving Fano resonance using spin crossover complexes is demonstrated in our designed molecular junctions using the complex {Fe[H2B(pz)2]2[Bp(bipy)]} [pz = 1-pyrazolyl, Bp(bipy) = bis(phenylethynyl)(2,2'-bipyridine)]. It is further revealed that the Fano resonance, particularly the Fano dip, is most prominent in the junction with cobalt tips among all the schemes, together with the spin-filtering effect. Most importantly, this junction of cobalt tips is able to exhibit three distinct conductance states, which are controlled by the modulation of Fano resonance due to the spin-state transition of the complex and the applied gate voltage. Such a molecular switch paradigm holds potential for applications in logic gates, memory units, sensors, thermoelectrics, and beyond.

Room-temperature ferromagnetism, half-metallicity and spin transport in monolayer CrSc2Te4-based magnetic tunnel junction devices.

The discovery of novel two-dimensional (2D) half-metallic materials with a robust ferromagnetic (FM) order and a high Curie temperature (Tc) is attractive for the advancement of next-generation spintronic devices. Here, we propose a monolayer with stable 2D intrinsic FM half-metallicity, i.e., the CrSc2Te4 monolayer, which was constructed by intercalating a monolayer of 1T-CrTe2-type sandwiched between two layers of 2H-ScTe2 monolayers. Our calculations reveal that it exhibits exceptional dynamical, thermal, and mechanical stabilities accompanied by a robust half-metallicity characterized by a wide bandgap of 1.02 eV and FM ordering with a high Tc of 326 K. Notably, these properties remain intact in almost the entire range of the biaxial strain from -5% to 5%. Furthermore, our investigations demonstrate excellent spin transport capabilities, including an outstanding spin-filtering effect, and a remarkably high tunneling magnetoresistance ratio peaking at 6087.07%. The remarkable magnetic features of the 2D CrSc2Te4 monolayer with room temperature FM, intrinsic half-metallicity, and 100% spin-polarization make it a promising candidate for the next-generation high-performance spintronic nanodevices as well as high-density magnetic recording and sensors.

(Invited) Quest for Fully Spin and Optically Polarized Semiconductor Nanostructures for Room-Temperature Opto-Spintronics

Spintronics represents a new paradigm for future electronics, photonics and information technology, which explores the spin degree of freedom of the electron for information storage, processing and transfer. Since 1990s, we have witnessed great success of metal-based spintronics that has revolutionized the mass data storage industry. There has also been an enormous push for semiconductor spintronics during the past three decades, with the aim to capitalize the past and current success of charge-based semiconductor technology and to make its spin counterpart the backbone of future spintronics just like semiconductors have done in today’s electronics/photonics. An exclusive advantage of semiconductor spintronics is its potential for opto-spintronics that will allow integration of spin-based information processing and storage with photon-based information transfer and communications. Unfortunately, progresses of semiconductor spintronics have so far been severely hampered by the failure to generate nearly fully spin-polarized charge carriers in semiconductors at and above room temperature (RT) at which today’s devices operate.In this work, we succeed to achieve conduction electron spin polarization exceeding 90% at RT in a semiconductor nanostructure, which remains steadily high even up to 110°C [1]. This represents the highest RT electron spin polarization ever reported in any semiconductor by any approach! This breakthrough is accomplished by a conceptually new approach of defect-engineered remote spin filtering and amplification of InAs quantum-dot (QD) electrons via an adjacent tunneling-coupled GaNAs quantum well acting as a spin filter. The extraordinary spin filtering effect in GaNAs is enabled by spin-dependent recombination via spin-polarized defects, i.e. grown-in Ga self-interstitials, which selectively deplete conduction electrons with an opposite spin orientation to that of the defect electron. In sharp contrast to the general trend of deteriorating spin polarization with increasing temperature seen in all other approaches of spin generation, our approach is gifted with an opposite temperature dependence up to RT thanks to a thermally accelerated remote spin-filtering effect as a result of thermally activated recombination via the defects [2]. We further show that the QD electron spin can be remotely manipulated by spin control in the adjacent spin filter, paving the way for remote spin encoding and writing of quantum memory as well as for remote spin control of spin-photon interfaces. This work demonstrates the feasibility to implement opto-spintronic functionality under practical device operation conditions in a semiconductor nanostructure system based on the mature III-V semiconductor technology commonly used for today’s optoelectronics and photonics. It could also pave the way for a range of potential spintronic and opto-spintronic applications exploiting the state-of-the-art GaAs technology platform, such as spin-LEDs, spin lasers, spin-polarized single-photon sources, quantum spin-photon interfaces, spin qubits, etc.

Magneto-optical tunability of impedance through electronic structure modification in ZnO–rGO/LSMO/ITO spintronic devices

In this paper, we have investigated red light (∼660 nm) and magnetic field dependence of impedance across (100−x)% ZnO(zinc oxide)–x% rGO(reduced graphene oxide)/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3(LSMO)/ITO (x=0,0.6,0.8,100) heterostructure devices. Field-induced scattering due to the spin filter effect and spin polarized tunneling (SPT) have been extracted from the zinc oxide–reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite/LSMO space charge region (ZnO–rGO/LSMO SCR) and the LSMO active region of the devices, respectively. Higher SPT leads to higher LSMO SCR scattering across the devices. Devices with higher rGO contents could not be fitted with two RC circuits as resistance values because the two phenomena are incomparable with each other. Light-induced scattering has been observed at the ZnO–rGO nanocomposite active region and ZnO–rGO/LSMO SCR of the devices. For composite devices with x=0.8 and 0.6, higher photocarrier generation at ZnO–rGO nanocomposite active layer leads to enhanced scattering at LSMO SCR with light illumination. Light-dependent scattering at both regions, however, follows almost same decreasing trend for bare devices with x=0, 100. The decreasing trend of light-dependent scattering for ZnO/LSMO/ITO and rGO/LSMO/ITO bare devices suddenly gets reversed and, eventually, follows an increasing trend at magnetic field ambiance of 0.5 and 1 kOe, respectively. The LSMO SCRs of the bare devices got enhanced with the field, leading to a light-dependent response similar to composite devices at the higher field.

Emerging Spintronic Materials and Functionalities.

The explosive growth of the information era has put forward urgent requirements for ultrahigh-speed and extremely efficient computations. In direct contrary to charge-based computations, spintronics aims to use spins as information carriers for data storage, transmission, and decoding, to help fully realize electronic device miniaturization and high integration for next-generation computing technologies. Currently, many novel spintronic materials have been developed with unique properties and multifunctionalities, including organic semiconductors (OSCs), organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites (OIHPs), and 2D materials (2DMs). These materials are useful to fulfill the demand for developing diverse and advanced spintronic devices. Herein, these promising materials are systematically reviewed for advanced spintronic applications. Due to the distinct chemical and physical structures of OSCs, OIHPs, and 2DMs, their spintronic properties (spin transport and spin manipulation) are discussed separately. In addition, some multifunctionalities due to photoelectric and chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) are overviewed, including the spin-filter effect, spin-photovoltaics, spin-light emitting devices, and spin-transistor functions. Subsequently, challenges and future perspectives of using these multifunctional materials for the development of advanced spintronics are presented.

Electrically controllable spin filtering in zigzag phosphorene nanoribbon based normal–antiferromagnet–normal junctions

We investigated the electric controllable spin-filtering effect in a zigzag phosphorene nanoribbon (ZPNR) based normal–antiferromagnet–normal junction. Two ferromagnets are closely coupled to the edges of the nanoribbon and form the edge-to-edge antiferromagnetism. Under an in-plane electric field, the two degenerate edge bands of the edge-to-edge antiferromagnet split into four spin-polarized sub-bands and a 100% spin-polarized current can be easily induced with the maximal conductance 2e 2/h. The spin polarization changes with the strength of the electric field and the exchange field, and changes sign at opposite electric fields. The spin-polarized current switches from one edge to the other by reversing the direction of the electric field. The edge current can also be controlled spatially by changing the electric potential of the scattering region. The manipulation of edge current is useful in spin-transfer-torque magnetic random-access memory and provides a practical way to develop controllable spintronic devices.

High optical spin-filtering in antiferromagnetic stanene nanoribbons induced by band bending and uniaxial strain

Non-equilibrium spin-polarized transport properties of antiferromagnetic stanene nanoribbons are theoretically studied under the combining effect of a normal electric field and linearly polarized irradiation based on the tight-binding model at room temperature. Due to the existence of spin-orbit coupling in stanene lattice, applying normal electric field leads to splitting of band degeneracy of spin-resolved energy levels in conduction and valence bands. Furthermore, unequivalent absorption of the polarized photons at two valleys which is attributed to an antiferromagnetic exchange field results in unequal spin-polarized photocurrent for spin-up and spin-down components. Interestingly, in the presence of band bending which has been induced by edge potentials, an allowable quantum efficiency occurs over a wider wavelength region of the incident light. It is especially important that the variation of an exchange magnetic field generates spin semi-conducting behavior in the bended band structure. Moreover, it is shown that optical spin-filtering effect is obtained under the simultaneous effect of uniaxial strain and narrow edge potential.

Edge passivation oxidation-enhanced spin caloritronics in zigzag blue phosphorus nanoribbons

In this study, the spin caloritronics of zigzag blue phosphorus nanoribbons (ZBPNRs) with edge hydrogenation and oxidation were studied using first-principles calculations and the non-equilibrium Green’s function method. Three different cases were considered: two edges of the ZBPNR were oxidized (2O-ZBPNR) and hydrogenated (2H-ZBPNR), one edge was oxidized, and the other was hydrogenated (HO-ZBPNR). Our results show that a perfect thermal spin filtering effect (SFE) and a negative differential thermoelectric resistance (NDTR) can be observed in structures with both 2O-ZBPNR and HO-ZBPNR, whereas these features were not found for 2H-ZBPNR. Furthermore, we confirmed that edge oxygen atoms in ZBPNRs offer different transport pathways for spin-up and spin-down states, leading to thermal SFE, and devices with oxygen-passivated ZBPNRs exhibited strong spin figures of merit (∼38) and large spin Seebeck coefficients (∼9 mV K−1).

Spin current driven by ultrafast magnetization of FeRh

Laser-induced ultrafast demagnetization is an important phenomenon that probes arguably the ultimate limits of the angular momentum dynamics in solid. Unfortunately, many aspects of the dynamics remain unclear except that the demagnetization transfers the angular momentum eventually to the lattice. In particular, the role and origin of electron-carried spin currents in the demagnetization process are debated. Here we experimentally probe the spin current in the opposite phenomenon, i.e., laser-induced ultrafast magnetization of FeRh, where the laser pump pulse initiates the angular momentum build-up rather than its dissipation. Using the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect, we directly measure the ultrafast-magnetization-driven spin current in a FeRh/Cu heterostructure. A strong correlation between the spin current and the magnetization dynamics of FeRh is found even though the spin filter effect is negligible in this opposite process. This result implies that the angular momentum build-up is achieved by an angular momentum transfer from the electron bath (supplier) to the magnon bath (receiver) and followed by the spatial transport of angular momentum (spin current) and dissipation of angular momentum to the phonon bath (spin relaxation).

Spin-resolved transport of multifunctional C18 molecule-based nanodevices: a first-principles study

As is well known, Kasier et al first synthesized a cyclic molecule C18, as characterized by high-resolution atomic force microscopy, is a polyalkylene structure in which the 18 carbon atoms are linked by alternating single and triple bonds Kaiser et al (2019 Science 365 1299–301). Early studies have found that the C18 molecule has semiconducting properties, suggesting that a similar straight-chain carbon structure could become a molecular device. Inspired by this, an analysis of spin-resolved electronic transport of nanodevices made by C18 sandwiched between zigzag graphyne nanoribbon leads or zigzag graphene nanoribbon leads presents here. The computational results demonstrate that a good spin-filtering effect, spin rectifying effect and an obvious negative differential resistance behavior in designed model devices can be obtained. Moreover, a stable dual-spin filtering effect or diode effect can be occurred in considered model devices with leads in an antiparallel state. The intrinsic mechanisms of molecular nanodevices are explained in detail by analyzing the transmission spectrum under different bias voltage, local density of states, molecular projection Hamiltonian, Current–Voltage (I–V) characteristics, transmission pathways, et al. These results are particularly significant for the development of multifunctional spintronic nanodevices.

Continuous room-temperature spin-injection modulation achieved by spin-filtering competition in molecular spin valves.

Abundant spin-related phenomena that originate from interfaces between ferromagnetic electrodes and molecular semiconductors have greatly enriched research in spintronics, and they are considered promising for realizing novel spintronic functionalities in the future. However, despite great efforts, the interfacial effect cannot be precisely controlled to achieve steady and predictable functions, especially at room temperature, and this has gradually become a significant bottleneck in the development of molecular spintronics. In this study, an innovative spin-filtering-competition mechanism was first proposed to continuously modulate the interfacial effect in molecular spin valves at room temperature. To form this novel mechanism, the original spin-filtering effect from pure Co competed with the newly generated one, which was induced by the bonding effect between Co and LiF. Subsequently, by precisely controlling competition through LiF coverage on the Co surface, continuous modulation of the spin-injection process could be successfully achieved at room temperature. Spin polarization of the injected current and magnetoresistance effect could be actively controlled or their sign could be completely reversed through this novel mechanism. This study provided an innovative approach and theory for precisely controlling the spin-related interfacial effects, which may further promote the scientific and technological development of spintronics. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A Spin-Dependent Model for Multi-Heme Bacterial Nanowires.

The electrical properties of conductive heme-based nanowires found in Geobacter sulfurreducens bacteria were investigated using spin-dependent density functional theory (DFT). Molecular orbitals were generated using a restricted open-shell model which was solved by applying constraints to the spin-separated unrestricted open-shell model. Charge transport was simulated at different length scales ranging from individual heme sites up to the monomer unit of the nanowire, looking at hopping and tunneling between neighboring heme porphyrins with different Fe oxidation states. The resulting spin-dependent DFT results indicate that tunneling rates between heme sites are highly dependent on oxidation state and transport pathway modeled. The model demonstrates the importance of spin dependence for electron hopping, oxidation state, and decoherence transport in cytochromes. Applying non-equilibrium's Green's function to the system confirmed a substantial decrease in decoherent charge transport for the oxidized molecule at lower Fermi energies. In addition, partial or full oxidation of the heme sites in the nanowire created conditions for spin-dependent transport that can be exploited for spin-filtering effects in nanodevices.

Designed Graphane-based spin filters by tuning the sp2/sp3 configuration

The electronic transport properties of H-vacancy-defected graphane are investigated by using the density functional theory (DFT) and Non-equilibrium Green’s Function (NEGF) methods. Results show that the band gap of graphane depends on the relative positions of the defect bands introduced by H vacancies and the valence or conduction bands, suggesting the band gap controllability. The defect bands are obviously spin polarized and the ratio is almost 100%. And the magnetization of the system can be tuned by defect concentration and location. Moreover, in the two-probe systems, the presence of H-vacancy-defect bands near the Ef plays an important role in controlling spin-dependent transport of graphane. A perfect spin-filtering effect with 100% spin polarization could be realized by H-vacancy defects. The spin properties indicate the potential of graphane as an option for future graphene-based spin filters and spintronic devices.

Geometry-Induced Spin Filtering in Photoemission Maps from WTe_{2} Surface States.

We demonstrate that an important quantum material WTe_{2} exhibits a new type of geometry-induced spin filtering effect in photoemission, stemming from low symmetry that is responsible for its exotic transport properties. Through the laser-driven spin-polarized angle-resolved photoemission Fermi surface mapping, we showcase highly asymmetric spin textures of electrons photoemitted from the surface states of WTe_{2}. Such asymmetries are not present in the initial state spin textures, which are bound by the time-reversal and crystal lattice mirror plane symmetries. The findings are reproduced qualitatively by theoretical modeling within the one-step model photoemission formalism. The effect could be understood within the free-electron final state model as an interference due to emission from different atomic sites. The observed effect is a manifestation of time-reversal symmetry breaking of the initial state in the photoemission process, and as such it cannot be eliminated, but only its magnitude influenced, by special experimental geometries.