Spin-Current and Spin-Splitting in Helicoidal Molecules Due to Spin-Orbit Coupling

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Specialty Science

Date 2016 Mar 25

PMID 27009836

Citations 2

Authors

R A Caetano

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The use of organic materials in spintronic devices has been seriously considered after recent experimental works have shown unexpected spin-dependent electrical properties. The basis for the confection of any spintronic device is ability of selecting the appropriated spin polarization. In this direction, DNA has been pointed out as a potential candidate for spin selection due to the spin-orbit coupling originating from the electric field generated by accumulated electrical charges along the helix. Here, we demonstrate that spin-orbit coupling is the minimum ingredient necessary to promote a spatial spin separation and the generation of spin-current. We show that the up and down spin components have different velocities that give rise to a spin-current. By using a simple situation where spin-orbit coupling is present, we provide qualitative justifications to our results that clearly point to helicoidal molecules as serious candidates to integrate spintronic devices.

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