Measuring the Spin-Polarization Power of a Single Chiral Molecule

Small. 2017 Jan;13(2). doi: 10.1002/smll.201602519. Epub 2016 Oct 18.

Abstract

The electronic spin filtering capability of a single chiral helical peptide is measured. A ferromagnetic electrode source is employed to inject spin-polarized electrons in an asymmetric single-molecule junction bridging an α-helical peptide sequence of known chirality. The conductance comparison between both isomers allows the direct determination of the polarization power of an individual chiral molecule.

Keywords: alpha-helical peptides; chiral transport; single-molecule wires; spin-polarization power; spin-polarized transmission.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Electrodes
  • Electrons
  • Gold / chemistry
  • Nickel / chemistry
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Spin Labels*
  • Stereoisomerism

Substances

  • Peptides
  • Spin Labels
  • Gold
  • Nickel