Probing Spin-Dependent Ballistic Charge Transport at Single-Nanometer Length Scales.
Nano Lett
; 23(24): 11608-11613, 2023 Dec 27.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38096400
ABSTRACT
The coherent transport of charge and spin is a key requirement of future devices for quantum computing and communication. Scattering at defects or impurities may significantly reduce the coherence of quantum-mechanical states, thereby affecting the device functionality. While numerous methods exist to experimentally assess charge transport, the real-space detection of a material's ballistic spin transport properties with nanometer resolution remains a challenge. Here we report on a novel approach that utilizes a combination of spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (SP-STM) and the recently introduced molecular nanoprobe (MONA) technique. It relies on the local injection of spin-polarized charge carriers from a magnetic STM tip and their detection by a single surface-deposited phthalocyanine molecule via reversible electron-induced tautomerization events. Based on the particular electronic structure of the Rashba alloy BiAg2, which is governed by a spin-momentum-locked surface state, we prove that the current direction inverses upon tip magnetization reversal.
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MEDLINE
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En
Ano de publicação:
2023
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Article