Single molecule magnetoresistance with combined antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic electrodes

Nano Lett. 2012 Oct 10;12(10):5131-6. doi: 10.1021/nl301967t. Epub 2012 Sep 25.

Abstract

The magnetoresistance of a hydrogen-phthalocyanine molecule placed on an antiferromagnetic Mn(001) surface and contacted by a ferromagnetic Fe electrode is investigated using density functional theory based transport calculations and low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. A large and negative magnetoresistance ratio of ~50% is observed in combination with a high conductance. The effect originates from a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) doublet placed almost in resonance with the Fermi energy. As a consequence, irrespective of the mutual alignment of magnetizations, electron transport is always dominated by resonant transmission of Mn-majority charge carries going through LUMO levels.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't