This document discusses using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) as spin barriers in spintronic devices. SAMs have advantages as they can be engineered to control their interaction with surfaces and have defined structures. Challenges include using a bottom electrode compatible with SAM wet chemistry and preventing short circuits with top electrodes. The document demonstrates the successful functionalization of (La,Sr)MnO3 with alkylphosphonic acid SAMs, characterization of their properties, fabrication of nanocontact devices, and measurement of clear tunneling magnetoresistance signals. Results show resistance increases exponentially with chain length. SAMs therefore have great potential for engineering spintronic interfaces beyond limitations of ultrahigh vacuum techniques.
Molecular Spintronics with SAMs: A Solution to Compatibility Issues
1. MOLECULAR SPINTRONICS
with SAMs
e-
Instituto de Ciencia Molecular · Universitat de València (Spain)
Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales · Palaiseau (France)
Sergio.Tatay@uv.es
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2. A MULTIDISCIPLINAR AREA
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MOLECULAR Science Institute
University of Valencia
Paterna (SPAIN)
Unité Mixte de PHYSIQUE CNRS/Thales
Palaiseau (France)
PhD
Michele Mattera
PhD
Clément Barraud
Marta Galbiati
Sophie Delprat
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The BASIC SPINTRONIC DEVICE (I)
Ferromagnetic electrode = spin polarizer
Spintronic devices = spin polarizer-analizer
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CONDUCTING
MAGNETIC
CONDUCTING
MAGNETIC
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The BASIC SPINTRONIC DEVICE (I)
5. The BASIC SPINTRONIC DEVICE (II)
Spintronic devices = spin polarizer-analizer
Two configurations are possible
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6. The BASIC SPINTRONIC DEVICE (III)
Two configurations are possible
We can switch between them using and external magnetic field
Magnetic Field
Resistance
Magnetic Field
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7. The BASIC SPINTRONIC DEVICE (IV)
Two configurations are possible
We can switch between them
Magnetic Field
MR
7
MAGNETORESISTANCE
MR is proportional to de spin
polarization of the electrodes 0
10. 10
MOLECULES as SPINTRONIC BARRIERS
• Long spin life-time
• Plastic compatibility and low price
Barraud et al. Appl. Phys. Lett. 96 (2010) 072502
(CNRS Thales)
Is that all?
MAIN ADVANTAGES
B. Dlubak et al. Nat. Phys. (2012) 587
(CNRS Thales)
lsf ≈ 300 µm
13. Molecule
ΔE↓
ΔE↑
Γ↑ LUMO
2nd Molecular layer1rst molecular layer Isolated / bulk
Γ↓
13
SPIN DEPENDENT HYBRIDIZATION (I)
FM Metal
Spinterface
EF
ϵ0
Galbiati, Tatay et al. MRS Bull. (2014) In Press
(CNRS Thales)
Spinterface “effective” electrode = metal + 1st interfacial molecular state
14. FM metal Molecule
discrete level
EF
SPIN DEPENDENT HYBRIDIZATION (III)
14
Spinterface “effective” electrode = metal + 1st interfacial molecular state
Γ >> ΔE (Strong Interaction) Γ << ΔE (Weak Interaction)
Pint = - PFM
FM metal
EF
Molecule
discrete level
Pint > PFM
Spin polarization inversion Spin polarization enhancement
The spin polarization at the new interface depends on the
strength of the coupling
15. 15
MOLECULES as SPINTRONIC BARRIERS
• Long spin life-time
• Plastic compatibility and low price
MAIN ADVANTAGES
BEYOND INORGANICS
Interface plays a key role in spin injection
It can be tailored by molecules
• Chemically engineered spintronic properties
16. -‐0,6 -‐0,4 -‐0,2 0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350 L S MO /A lq3
/C o
Magnetoresistance
(%)
A pplied
magnetic
field
(T )
16
Γ >> ΔE Γ << ΔE
MOLECULES as SPINTRONIC BARRIERS
SPIN DEPENDENT HYBRIDIZTION
-‐1,0 -‐0,5 0,0 0,5 1,0
-‐35
-‐30
-‐25
-‐20
-‐15
-‐10
-‐5
0
5
Magnetoresistance
(%)
A pplied
magnetic
field
(T )
C o/C oP c/C o
EF
Co CoPc
Bottom interface
Pint = - PFM
2K 2K
Alq3
LSMO
Co
Co
Co
CoPc
Spin polarization inversion Spin polarization enhancement
Barraud et al. Manuscript in preparation (CNRS Thales, UMR7504 (Strasbourg))
EF
Co Alq3
Pint > PFM
17. 300K
Pint ≈ + PFM
EF
Co Alq3
Bottom interface
EF
Co CoPc
Bottom interface
Pint = - PFM
300K
17
Γ << ΔE Decoupled
MOLECULES as SPINTRONIC BARRIERS
SPIN DEPENDENT HYBRIDIZTION
Spin polarization inversion Spin polarization enhancement
Alq3
Co
Co
Galbiati, Tatay et al. Unpublished Results (CNRS Thales)
Co
Co
Alq3
Al2O3
18. 18
But, How to control
SPINTERFACES?
Problem dissolved problem solved
24. SAMs as SPINTRONIC BARRIERS
24
PREVIOUS RESULTS
Petta, Slater and Ralph
Phys. Rev. Lett. 93 (2004) 136601
Wang and Richter
Appl. Phys. Lett. 89 (2006) 153105
Ni
Ti
Ni
NANOPORE:10nm
Ni
Co
NANOPORE:10nm
ENCOURAGING
Proof of Concept
RESULTS
Why ONLY
TWO?
MR(%)
0
2
27. The FUNCTIONALIZATION of LSMO
Epitaxially grown
(La2/3Sr1/3)MnO3 (LSMO) is a
inorganic oxide of the perovskite
family (ABO3)
Surfactant
Z
OLa/Sr Mn
Substrate
SrTiO3 (STO)
27
n = 1 to 4
Alkylphosphonic acid
Dodecylphosphonic acid (C12P)
Octadecylphosphonic acid (C18P)
Dilute solutions of alkylphosphonic
acid in polar solvents
Anchoring: Phosphonic acid (PO3H2)
Body: Alkyl chain (CH2)
Head: Methyl group (CH3)
28. CHARACTERIZATION (I)
CONTACT ANGLE
28
Water Contact
Angle
CA < 80
90 < CA < 100
CA > 100
Contact
Angle
Contact Angle (Adv/Rec/Hist)
C18PO3H2 = 112/99/13
C12PO3H2 = 108/82/26
C12P
C18P
• Good coverage
29. CHARACTERIZATION (II)
AFM
▪ Roughness comparable to that of the bare substrate
▪ No island or multilayer growth was observed
C12P
1 µm
29
XPS
▪ All the expected elements
▪P-O-H peak not present in O(1s). BI/TRI-DENTATE
C12P
31. CHARACTERIZATION (IV)
UPS (col. Kaiserslautern.)
▪ Magnetism is kept after deposition process
▪ Manganese gets sligthly reduced
31
XAS/XMCD (col. SOLEIL France)
LSMO
0.50eV
-6.53eV -9.51eV
C12P
LSMO
0.62eV
-6.58eV -9.51eV
C18P
4.9eV 4.9eV
HOMO
HOMO-1
HOMO
HOMO-1
EF EF
Surface
dipole
Surface
dipole
▪ Small surface dipole
C12P
3.50 eV
LUMO
3.50 eV
LUMO
10 eV 10 eV
TRANSPORT MEAS.
▪ Similar to other
well know systems
33. But, How to MAKE electrical DEVICES?
Spintronics requires metallic electrodes. Thus SHORT-CIRCUITS
are a big issue
33
(La,Sr)MnO3
Co, Ni...
(La,Sr)MnO3
Co, Ni…
(La,Sr)MnO3
NANOCONTACS
45. INFLUENCE of the CHAIN LENGTH
45
MR dependence on chain length
(first results…)
Exponential increase of the resistance
with the chain length
LSMO
Co
Galbiati, Tatay et al. Unpublished Results (CNRS Thales)
46. 46
CONCLUSION
but most of the materials with potential for
spintronics applications are not compatible with
the standard ultrahigh vacuum techniques
and this can be a PROBLEM
A doubtful or difficult matter requiring a
solution
The Concise Oxford Dictionary (1995)
MOLECULES (and specially SAMs) have a
great POTENTIAL for spintronics