Unravelling the role of the interface for spin injection into organic semiconductors

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates giant magnetoresistance in organic spintronic devices and introduces a new model for understanding spin injection, highlighting the potential for chemical engineering to optimize device performance.

Contribution

It presents the first giant tunnel magnetoresistance of up to 300% in organic spintronic devices and proposes a novel spin-dependent transport model for organic materials.

Findings

Giant tunnel magnetoresistance of up to 300% observed.

A new spin-dependent transport model for organic materials.

Potential for chemical tailoring of spin injection properties.

Abstract

Whereas spintronics brings the spin degree of freedom to electronic devices, molecular/organic electronics adds the opportunity to play with the chemical versatility. Here we show how, as a contender to commonly used inorganic materials, organic/molecular based spintronics devices can exhibit very large magnetoresistance and lead to tailored spin polarizations. We report on giant tunnel magnetoresistance of up to 300% in a (La,Sr)MnO3/Alq3/Co nanometer size magnetic tunnel junction. Moreover, we propose a spin dependent transport model giving a new understanding of spin injection into organic materials/molecules. Our findings bring a new insight on how one could tune spin injection by molecular engineering and paves the way to chemical tailoring of the properties of spintronics devices.