Publication
Title
Magnetoresistance in multilayer fullerene spin valves : a first-principles study
Author
Abstract
Carbon-based molecular semiconductors are explored for application in spintronics because their small spinorbit coupling promises long spin lifetimes. We calculate the electronic transport from first principles through spin valves comprising bi-and tri-layers of the fullerene molecules C-60 and C-70, sandwiched between two Fe electrodes. The spin polarization of the current, and the magnetoresistance depend sensitively on the interactions at the interfaces between the molecules and the metal surfaces. They are much less affected by the thickness of the molecular layers. A high current polarization (CP > 90%) and magnetoresistance (MR > 100%) at small bias can be attained using C-70 layers. In contrast, the current polarization and the magnetoresistance at small bias are vanishingly small for C-60 layers. Exploiting a generalized Julliere model we can trace the differences in spin-dependent transport between C-60 and C-70 layers to differences between the molecule-metal interface states. These states also allow one to interpret the current polarization and the magnetoresistance as a function of the applied bias voltage.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Physical review : B : condensed matter and materials physics. - Lancaster, Pa, 1998 - 2015
Publication
Lancaster, Pa : 2014
ISSN
1098-0121 [print]
1550-235X [online]
DOI
10.1103/PHYSREVB.90.245404
Volume/pages
90 :24 (2014) , 12 p.
Article Reference
245404
ISI
000345875200005
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 13.01.2015
Last edited 09.10.2023
To cite this reference