Chirality-Induced Magnetoresistance Due to Thermally Driven Spin Polarization

Current Induced Spin-Polarization in Chiral Molecules

The inverse spin-galvanic effect or current-induced spin-polarization is mainly associated with interfaces between different layers in semiconducting heterostructures, surfaces of metals, and bulk semiconducting materials. Here, we theoretically predict that the inverse spin-galvanic effect should also be present in chiral molecules, as a result of the chiral induced spin selectivity effect. As proof-of-principle, we calculate the nonequilibrium properties of a model system that previously has been successfully used to explain a multitude of aspects related to the chiral induced spin selectivity effect. Here we show that current driven spin-polarization in a chiral molecule gives rise to a magnetic moment that is sensitive to external magnet field. The chiral molecule then behaves like a soft ferromagnet. This, in turn, suggests that magnetic permeability measurement in otherwise nonmagnetic systems may be used noninvasively to detect the presence of spin-polarized currents.

Giant X-Ray Circular Dichroism in a Time-Reversal Invariant Antiferromagnet

X-ray circular dichroism, arising from the contrast in X-ray absorption between opposite photon helicities, serves as a spectroscopic tool to measure the magnetization of ferromagnetic materials and identify the handedness of chiral crystals. Antiferromagnets with crystallographic chirality typically lack X-ray magnetic circular dichroism because of time-reversal symmetry, yet exhibit weak X-ray natural circular dichroism. Here, the observation of giant natural circular dichroism in the Ni L3-edge X-ray absorption of Ni3TeO6 is reported, a polar and chiral antiferromagnet with effective time-reversal symmetry. To unravel this intriguing phenomenon, a phenomenological model is proposed that classifies the movement of photons in a chiral crystal within the same symmetry class as that of a magnetic field. The coupling of X-ray polarization with the induced magnetization yields giant X-ray natural circular dichroism, revealing typical ferromagnetic behaviors allowed by the symmetry in an antiferromagnet, i.e., the altermagnetism of Ni3TeO6. The findings provide evidence for the interplay between magnetism and crystal chirality in natural optical activity. Additionally, the first example of a new class of magnetic materials exhibiting circular dichroism is established with time-reversal symmetry.

Chiral Induced Spin Selectivity

Since the initial landmark study on the chiral induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect in 1999, considerable experimental and theoretical efforts have been made to understand the physical underpinnings and mechanistic features of this interesting phenomenon. As first formulated, the CISS effect refers to the innate ability of chiral materials to act as spin filters for electron transport; however, more recent experiments demonstrate that displacement currents arising from charge polarization of chiral molecules lead to spin polarization without the need for net charge flow. With its identification of a fundamental connection between chiral symmetry and electron spin in molecules and materials, CISS promises profound and ubiquitous implications for existing technologies and new approaches to answering age old questions, such as the homochiral nature of life. This review begins with a discussion of the different methods for measuring CISS and then provides a comprehensive overview of molecules and materials known to exhibit CISS-based phenomena before proceeding to identify structure-property relations and to delineate the leading theoretical models for the CISS effect. Next, it identifies some implications of CISS in physics, chemistry, and biology. The discussion ends with a critical assessment of the CISS field and some comments on its future outlook.

Mechanism for Electrostatically Generated Magnetoresistance in Chiral Systems without Spin-Dependent Transport

Significant attention has been drawn to electronic transport in chiral materials coupled to ferromagnets in the chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect. A large magnetoresistance (MR) is usually observed, which is widely interpreted to originate from spin (dependent) transport. However, there are severe discrepancies between the experimental results and the theoretical interpretations, most notably the apparent failure of the Onsager reciprocity relations in the linear response regime. We provide an alternative mechanism for the two terminal MR in chiral systems coupled to a ferromagnet. For this, we point out that it was observed experimentally that the electrostatic contact potential of chiral materials on a ferromagnet depends on the magnetization direction and chirality. The mechanism that we provide causes the transport barrier to be modified by the magnetization direction, already in equilibrium, in the absence of a bias current. This strongly alters the charge transport through and over the barrier, not requiring spin transport. This provides a mechanism that allows the linear response resistance to be sensitive to the magnetization direction and also explains the failure of the Onsager reciprocity relations. We propose experimental configurations to confirm our alternative mechanism for MR.

Spin dynamics and chirality induced spin selectivity

By now, it is well known that chiral molecules can affect the spin of electrons passing through. In addition, the magnetization of, e.g., nanomagnets covered by chiral molecules can be affected by the presence of molecules. We are studying the mechanisms that explain various observations involving combinations of magnets and chiral molecules. We find that there exists a molecule induced contribution to the magnetic anisotropy of the magnets. Out of equilibrium, when electrons are actually being transported through a nano-magnet covered with chiral molecules, a molecule induced torque acting on the magnetization is emerging. It is of the spin-transfer-torque kind, already discussed in other parts of spintronics. This current induced torque can help explain the observed breaking of the Onsager reciprocity principle in experiments involving magnets and chiral molecules.

Enantiopure Dinaphtho[2,3-b:2,3-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophenes: Reaching High Magnetoresistance Effect in OFETs

Chiral molecules are known to behave as spin filters due to the chiral induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect. Chirality can be implemented in molecular semiconductors in order to study the role of the CISS effect in charge transport and to find new materials for spintronic applications. In this study, the design and synthesis of a new class of enantiopure chiral organic semiconductors based on the well-known dinaphtho[2,3-b:2,3-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DNTT) core functionalized with chiral alkyl side chains is presented. When introduced in an organic field-effect transistor (OFET) with magnetic contacts, the two enantiomers, (R)-DNTT and (S)-DNTT, show an opposite behavior with respect to the relative direction of the magnetization of the contacts, oriented by an external magnetic field. Each enantiomer displays an unexpectedly high magnetoresistance over one preferred orientation of the spin current injected from the magnetic contacts. The result is the first reported OFET in which the current can be switched on and off upon inversion of the direction of the applied external magnetic field. This work contributes to the general understanding of the CISS effect and opens new avenues for the introduction of organic materials in spintronic devices.

Magneto-optical imaging of magnetic-domain pinning induced by chiral molecules

Chiral molecules have the potential for creating new magnetic devices by locally manipulating the magnetic properties of metallic surfaces. When chiral polypeptides chemisorb onto ferromagnets, they can induce magnetization locally by spin exchange interactions. However, direct imaging of surface magnetization changes induced by chiral molecules was not previously realized. Here, we use magneto-optical Kerr microscopy to image domains in thin films and show that chiral polypeptides strongly pin domains, increasing the coercive field locally. In our study, we also observe a rotation of the easy magnetic axis toward the out-of-plane, depending on the sample's domain size and the adsorption area. These findings show the potential of chiral molecules to control and manipulate magnetization and open new avenues for future research on the relationship between chirality and magnetization.

Chiral-induced spin selectivity in biomolecules, hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites and inorganic materials: a comprehensive review on recent progress

The two spin states of electrons are degenerate in nonmagnetic materials. The chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect provides a new strategy for manipulating electron's spin and a deeper understanding of spin selective processes in organisms. Here, we summarize the important discoveries and recent experiments performed during the development of the CISS effect, analyze the spin polarized transport in various types of materials and discuss the mechanisms, theoretical calculations, experimental techniques and biological significance of the CISS effect. The first part of this review concisely presents a general overview of the discoveries and importance of the CISS effect, laws and underlying mechanisms of which are discussed in the next section, where several classical experimental methods for detecting the CISS effect are also introduced. Based on the organic and inorganic properties of materials, the CISS effect of organic biomolecules, hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites and inorganic materials are reviewed in the third, fourth and fifth sections, especially the chiral transfer mechanism of hybrid materials and the relationship between the CISS effect and life science. In addition, conclusions and prospective future of the CISS effect are outlined at the end, where the development and applications of the CISS effect in spintronics are directly described, which is helpful for designing promising chiral spintronic devices and understanding the natural status of chirality from a new perspective.

Real-time monitoring of reaction stereochemistry through single-molecule observations of chirality-induced spin selectivity

Stereochemistry has an essential role in organic synthesis, biological catalysis and physical processes. In situ chirality identification and asymmetric synthesis are non-trivial tasks, especially for single-molecule systems. However, going beyond the chiral characterization of a large number of molecules (which inevitably leads to ensemble averaging) is crucial for elucidating the different properties induced by the chiral nature of the molecules. Here we report direct monitoring of chirality variations during a Michael addition followed by proton transfer and keto-enol tautomerism in a single molecule. Taking advantage of the chirality-induced spin selectivity effect, continuous current measurements through a single-molecule junction revealed in situ chirality variations during the reaction. Chirality identification at a high sensitivity level provides a promising tool for the study of symmetry-breaking reactions and sheds light on the origin of the chirality-induced spin selectivity effect itself.

Vibrationally Induced Magnetism in Supramolecular Aggregates

Magnetic phenomena in chemistry and condensed matter physics are considered to be associated with low temperatures. That a magnetic state or order is stable below a critical temperature as well as becoming stronger the lower the temperature is a nearly unquestioned paradigm. It is, therefore, surprising that recent experimental observations made on supramolecular aggregates suggest that, for instance, the magnetic coercivity may increase with an increasing temperature and the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect may be enhanced. Here, a mechanism for vibrationally stabilized magnetism is proposed, and a theoretical model is introduced with which the qualitative aspects of the recent experimental findings can be explained. It is argued that anharmonic vibrations, which become increasingly occupied with an increasing temperature, enable nuclear vibrations to both stabilize and sustain magnetic states. The theoretical proposal, hence, pertains to structures without inversion and/or reflection symmetries, for instance, chiral molecules and crystals.

Easily processable spin filters: exploring the chiral induced spin selectivity of bowl-shaped chiral subphthalocyanines

Herein a new class of spin filters based on subphthalocyanines is reported. We measure the CISS effect by means of magnetic conductive probe atomic force microscopy (mc-AFM). Remarkably, the resulting devices show spin polarizations (SPs) as high as ca. 50%.