Unraveling the origin of the chirality-induced spin-selectivity effect

Seminar
QUEST Center event
No
Speaker
Jonathan Dubi, Dept. of Chemistry, Ben Gurion University
Date
15/11/2021 - 14:00 - 12:30Add to Calendar 2021-11-15 12:30:00 2021-11-15 14:00:00 Unraveling the origin of the chirality-induced spin-selectivity effect Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89236785442   When electrons are injected through a chiral molecule, the resulting current may become spin polarized. This effect, known as the chirality-induced spin-selectivity (CISS) effect, has been suggested to emerge due to the interplay between spin–orbit interactions and the chirality within the molecule. However, such explanations require unrealistically large values for the molecular spin–orbit interaction without any physical justification. Put simply, to date, the physical origin of  the CISS effect is unknown.  Here, we present a theory for the CISS effect based on the interplay between spin–orbit interactions in the electrode, the chirality of the molecule (which induces a solenoid field), and spin-transfer torque at the molecule–electrode interface. Using a mean-field calculation with simple models for the molecular junction, we show that our phenomenological theory can qualitatively account for all key experimental observations, most importantly the magnitude of the CISS with realistic parameters. We also provide a set of predictions which can be readily tested experimentally, and show recent data to corroborate these predictions.  S. Alwan & Y. Dubi, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 35, 14235–14241. Physics Building 203, Room 221 and https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89236785442 Department of Physics physics.dept@mail.biu.ac.il Asia/Jerusalem public
Place
Physics Building 203, Room 221 and https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89236785442
Abstract

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89236785442

 

When electrons are injected through a chiral molecule, the resulting current may become spin polarized. This effect, known as the chirality-induced spin-selectivity (CISS) effect, has been suggested to emerge due to the interplay between spin–orbit interactions and the chirality within the molecule. However, such explanations require unrealistically large values for the molecular spin–orbit interaction without any physical justification. Put simply, to date, the physical origin of  the CISS effect is unknown. 
Here, we present a theory for the CISS effect based on the interplay between spin–orbit interactions in the electrode, the chirality of the molecule (which induces a solenoid field), and spin-transfer torque at the molecule–electrode interface. Using a mean-field calculation with simple models for the molecular junction, we show that our phenomenological theory can qualitatively account for all key experimental observations, most importantly the magnitude of the CISS with realistic parameters. We also provide a set of predictions which can be readily tested experimentally, and show recent data to corroborate these predictions. 

S. Alwan & Y. Dubi, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 35, 14235–14241.

Last Updated Date : 28/10/2021