Dynamic spin filtering at the Co/Alq3 interface mediated by weakly coupled second layer molecules

Andrea Droghetti, Philip Thielen, Ivan Rungger, Norman Haag, Nicolas Großmann, Johannes Stöckl, Benjamin Stadtmüller, Martin Aeschlimann, Stefano Sanvito and Mirko Cinchetti ()
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Andrea Droghetti: School of Physics, AMBER and CRANN Institute, Trinity College
Philip Thielen: University of Kaiserslautern
Ivan Rungger: School of Physics, AMBER and CRANN Institute, Trinity College
Norman Haag: University of Kaiserslautern
Nicolas Großmann: University of Kaiserslautern
Johannes Stöckl: University of Kaiserslautern
Benjamin Stadtmüller: University of Kaiserslautern
Martin Aeschlimann: University of Kaiserslautern
Stefano Sanvito: School of Physics, AMBER and CRANN Institute, Trinity College
Mirko Cinchetti: University of Kaiserslautern

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Spin filtering at organic-metal interfaces is often determined by the details of the interaction between the organic molecules and the inorganic magnets used as electrodes. Here we demonstrate a spin-filtering mechanism based on the dynamical spin relaxation of the long-living interface states formed by the magnet and weakly physisorbed molecules. We investigate the case of Alq3 on Co and, by combining two-photon photoemission experiments with electronic structure theory, show that the observed long-time spin-dependent electron dynamics is driven by molecules in the second organic layer. The interface states formed by physisorbed molecules are not spin-split, but acquire a spin-dependent lifetime, that is the result of dynamical spin-relaxation driven by the interaction with the Co substrate. Such spin-filtering mechanism has an important role in the injection of spin-polarized carriers across the interface and their successive hopping diffusion into successive molecular layers of molecular spintronics devices.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12668

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