Spin dependent transmission of Nickelocene-Cu contacts probed with shot noise

TL;DR

This study investigates spin-dependent electron transmission in nickelocene molecules contacted with copper, revealing a transition from spin-1 to spin-1/2 states and analyzing shot noise behavior with theoretical models.

Contribution

It provides new insights into spin state transitions and shot noise characteristics in nickelocene-Cu contacts using combined experimental and theoretical approaches.

Findings

Observation of abrupt and smooth current transitions during contact formation

Identification of a spin-1 to spin-1/2 transition involving Kondo screening

Shot noise reduction consistent with spin-polarized transmission of about 35%

Abstract

The current $I$ through nickelocene molecules and its noise are measured with a low temperature scanning tunneling microscope on a Cu(100) substrate. Density functional theory calculations and many-body modeling are used to analyze the data. During contact formation, two types of current evolution are observed, an abrupt jump to contact and a smooth transition. These data along with conductance spectra ($dI/dV$) recorded deep in the contact range are interpreted in terms of a transition from a spin-1 to a spin-1/2 state that is Kondo screened. Many-body calculations show that the smooth transition is also consistent with a renormalization of spin excitations of a spin-1 molecule by Kondo exchange coupling. The shot noise is significantly reduced compared to the Schottky value of $2eI$ but no influence of the Kondo effect or spin excitations are resolved. The noise can be described in the Landauer picture in terms of spin-polarized transmission of $\approx$35% through two degenerate $d_\pi$-orbitals of the Nickelocene molecule.