Electrical transport between epitaxial manganites and carbon nanotubes

TL;DR

This study investigates electrical transport in devices combining epitaxial manganites and carbon nanotubes, revealing conductance differences and pseudogap behavior that could enable advanced spintronics applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates the viability of electrical transport between manganites and nanotubes and highlights unique temperature-dependent conductance features.

Findings

Room temperature conductance is half that of palladium devices.

Presence of a pseudogap below 200 K.

Potential for new spintronics heterostructures.

Abstract

The possibility of performing spintronics at the molecular level may be realized in devices that combine fully spin polarized oxides such as manganites with carbon nanotubes. However, it is not clear whether electrical transport between such different material systems is viable. Here we show that the room temperature conductance of manganite-nanotube-manganite devices is only half the value recorded in similar palladium-nanotube-palladium devices. Interestingly, the former shows a pseudogap in the conductivity below the relatively high temperature of 200 K. Our results suggest the possibility of new spintronics heterostructures that exploit fully spin polarized sources and drains.