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We theoretically propose a double quantum dots (QDs) ring to filter the electron spin that works due to the Rashba spin–orbit interaction (RSOI) existing inside the QDs, the spin-dependent inter-dot tunneling coupling and the magnetic flux penetrating through the ring. By varying the RSOI-induced phase factor, the magnetic flux and the strength of the spin-dependent inter-dot tunneling coupling, which arises from a constant magnetic field applied on the tunneling junction between the QDs, a 100% spin-polarized conductance can be obtained. We show that both the spin orientations and the magnitude of it can be controlled by adjusting the above-mentioned parameters. The spin filtering effect is robust even in the presence of strong intra-dot Coulomb interactions and arbitrary dot-lead coupling configurations.

We study collective excitations in a helical electron liquid on a surface of three-dimensional topological insulator. Electron in helical liquid obeys Dirac-like equation for massless particles and direction of its spin is strictly determined by its momentum. Due to this spin-momentum locking, collective excitations in the system manifest themselves as coupled charge- and spin-density waves. We develop quantum field-theoretical description of spin-plasmons in helical liquid and study their properties and internal structure. Value of spin polarization arising in the system with excited spin-plasmons is calculated. We also consider the scattering of spin-plasmons on magnetic and nonmagnetic impurities and external potentials, and show that the scattering occurs mainly into two side lobes. Analogies with Dirac electron gas in graphene are discussed.

PACS: 73.20.Mf; 73.22.Lp; 75.25.Dk.

The interaction between the inner atoms/cluster and the outer fullerene cage is the source of various novel properties of endohedral metallofullerenes. Herein, we introduce an adatom-type spin polarization defect on the surface of a typical endohedral stable U2@C60 to predict the associated structure and electronic properties of U2@C61 based on the density functional theory method. We found that defect induces obvious changes in the electronic structure of this metallofullerene. More interestingly, the ground state of U2@C61 is nonet spin in contrast to the septet of U2@C60. Electronic structure analysis shows that the inner U atoms and the C ad-atom on the surface of the cage contribute together to this spin state, which is brought about by a ferromagnetic coupling between the spin of the unpaired electrons of the U atoms and the C ad-atom. This discovery may provide a possible approach to adapt the electronic structure properties of endohedral metallofullerenes.

Organic semiconductors constitute promising candidates toward large-scale electronic circuits that are entirely spintronics-driven. Toward this goal, tunneling magnetoresistance values above 300% at low temperature suggested the presence of highly spin-polarized device interfaces. However, such spinterfaces have not been observed directly, let alone at room temperature. Thanks to experiments and theory on the model spinterface between phthalocyanine molecules and a Co single crystal surface, we clearly evidence a highly efficient spinterface. Spin-polarised direct and inverse photoemission experiments reveal a high degree of spin polarisation at room temperature at this interface. We measured a magnetic moment on the molecule's nitrogen π orbitals, which substantiates an ab-initio theoretical description of highly spin-polarised charge conduction across the interface due to differing spinterface formation mechanisms in each spin channel. We propose, through this example, a recipe to engineer simple organic-inorganic interfaces with remarkable spintronic properties that can endure well above room temperature.

Using the nonequilibrium Green’s function method, we theoretically study the Andreev reflection(AR) in a four-terminal Aharonov-Bohm interferometer containing a coupled double quantum dot with the Rashba spin-orbit interaction (RSOI) and the coherent indirect coupling via two ferromagnetic leads. When two ferromagnetic electrodes are in the parallel configuration, the spin-up conductance is equal to the spin-down conductance due to the absence of the RSOI. However, for the antiparallel alignment, the spin-polarized AR occurs resulting from the crossed AR (CAR) and the RSOI. The effects of the coherent indirect coupling, RSOI, and magnetic flux on the Andreev-reflected tunneling magnetoresistance are analyzed at length. The spin-related current is calculated, and a distinct swap effect emerges. Furthermore, the pure spin current can be generated due to the CAR when two ferromagnets become two half metals. It is found that the strong RSOI and the large indirect coupling are in favor of the CAR and the production of the strong spin current. The properties of the spin-related current are tunable in terms of the external parameters. Our results offer new ways to manipulate the spin-dependent transport.

We report on the high mobility wide electron slabs with enhanced correlation effects by tailoring the polarization effects in a functionally graded ZnMgO/ZnO heterostructures. The characteristics of three-dimensional (3D) spreading electrons are evidenced by the capacitance-voltage profiling and the quantization of 3D Fermi surface in magneto-transport measurements. Despite the weak spin-orbit interaction, such electron slabs are spin-polarized with a large zero-field spin splitting energy, which is induced by the carrier-mediated ferromagnetism. Our results suggest that the vast majority of electrons are localized at the surface magnetic moment which does not allow spin manipulations, and only in the region visited by the itinerant carriers that the ferromagnetic exchange interactions via coupling to the surface local moments contribute to the spin transport. The host ferromagnetism is likely due to the formation of Zn cation vacancies on the surface regime induced by the stabilization mechanism and strain-relaxation in ZnMgO polar ionic surface.

We investigate the spin accumulations of Aharonov-Bohm interferometers with embedded quantum dots by considering spin bias in the leads. It is found that regardless of the interferometer configurations, the spin accumulations are closely determined by their quantum interference features. This is mainly manifested in the dependence of spin accumulations on the threaded magnetic flux and the nonresonant transmission process. Namely, the Aharonov-Bohm-Fano effect is a necessary condition to achieve the spin accumulation in the quantum dot of the resonant channel. Further analysis showed that in the double-dot interferometer, the spin accumulation can be detailedly manipulated. The spin accumulation properties of such structures offer a new scheme of spin manipulation. When the intradot Coulomb interactions are taken into account, we find that the electron interactions are advantageous to the spin accumulation in the resonant channel.

The sensitivity limitations for magnetic resonance imaging of organic molecules have recently been addressed by hyperpolarization methods, which prepare excess nuclear spin polarization. This approach can increase sensitivity by orders of magnitude, but the enhanced signal relaxes away in tens of seconds, even in favorable cases. Here we show theoretically that singlet states between strongly coupled spins in molecules can be used to store and retrieve population in very-long-lived disconnected eigenstates, as long as the coupling between the spins substantially exceeds both the couplings to other spins and the resonance frequency difference between them. Experimentally, 2,3-carbon-13–labeled diacetyl has a disconnected eigenstate that can store population for minutes and is read out by hydration to make the two spins inequivalent.

The generation of spin-polarized electrons at room temperature is an essential step in developing semiconductor spintronic applications. To this end, we studied the electronic states of a Ge(111) surface, covered with a lead monolayer at a fractional coverage of 4/3, by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES), spin-resolved ARPES and first-principles electronic structure calculation. We demonstrate that a metallic surface-state band with a dominant Pb 6p character exhibits a large Rashba spin splitting of 200 meV and an effective mass of 0.028 me at the Fermi level. This finding provides a material basis for the novel field of spin transport/accumulation on semiconductor surfaces. Charge density analysis of the surface state indicated that large spin splitting was induced by asymmetric charge distribution in close proximity to the nuclei of Pb atoms.

Semiconductor spintronics applications require materials that can exhibit large spin-splitting while preserving a large number of carriers. Yaji and co-workers show this is possible at room temperature using a germanium surface covered with a lead monolayer.

Spin-dependent transport through a quantum-dot (QD) ring coupled to ferromagnetic leads with noncollinear magnetizations is studied theoretically. Tunneling current, current spin polarization and tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) as functions of the bias voltage and the direct coupling strength between the two leads are analyzed by the nonequilibrium Green's function technique. It is shown that the magnitudes of these quantities are sensitive to the relative angle between the leads' magnetic moments and the quantum interference effect originated from the inter-lead coupling. We pay particular attention on the Coulomb blockade regime and find the relative current magnitudes of different magnetization angles can be reversed by tuning the inter-lead coupling strength, resulting in sign change of the TMR. For large enough inter-lead coupling strength, the current spin polarizations for parallel and antiparallel magnetic configurations will approach to unit and zero, respectively.

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We built new hybrid devices consisting of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown carbon nanotube (CNT) transistors, decorated with TbPc2 (Pc = phthalocyanine) rare-earth based single-molecule magnets (SMMs). The drafting was achieved by tailoring supramolecular π-π interactions between CNTs and SMMs. The magnetoresistance hysteresis loop measurements revealed steep steps, which we can relate to the magnetization reversal of individual SMMs. Indeed, we established that the electronic transport properties of these devices depend strongly on the relative magnetization orientations of the grafted SMMs. The SMMs are playing the role of localized spin polarizer and analyzer on the CNT electronic conducting channel. As a result, we measured magneto-resistance ratios up to several hundred percent. We used this spin valve effect to confirm the strong uniaxial anisotropy and the superparamagnetic blocking temperature (TB ~ 1 K) of isolated TbPc2 SMMs. For the first time, the strength of exchange interaction between the different SMMs of the molecular spin valve geometry could be determined. Our results introduce a new design for operable molecular spintronic devices using the quantum effects of individual SMMs.

Double quantum dots are convenient solid-state platforms to encode quantum information. Two-electron spin states can be detected and manipulated using quantum selection rules based on the Pauli exclusion principle, leading to Pauli spin blockade of electron transport for triplet states. Coherent spin states would be optimally preserved in an environment free of nuclear spins, which is achievable in silicon by isotopic purification. Here we report on a deliberately engineered, gate-defined silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor double quantum dot system. The electron occupancy of each dot and the inter-dot tunnel coupling are independently tunable by electrostatic gates. At weak inter-dot coupling we clearly observe Pauli spin blockade and measure a large intra-dot singlet-triplet splitting > 1 meV. The leakage current in spin blockade has a peculiar magnetic field dependence, unrelated to electron-nuclear effects and consistent with the effect of spin-flip cotunneling processes. The results obtained here provide excellent prospects for realising singlet-triplet qubits.

The reversible control of a single spin of an atom or a molecule is of great interest in Kondo physics and a potential application in spin based electronics. Here we demonstrate that the Kondo resonance of manganese phthalocyanine molecules on a Au(111) substrate have been reversibly switched off and on via a robust route through attachment and detachment of single hydrogen atom to the magnetic core of the molecule. As further revealed by density functional theory calculations, even though the total number of electrons of the Mn ion remains almost the same in the process, gaining one single hydrogen atom leads to redistribution of charges within 3d orbitals with a reduction of the molecular spin state from S = 3/2 to S = 1 that directly contributes to the Kondo resonance disappearance. This process is reversed by a local voltage pulse or thermal annealing to desorb the hydrogen atom.

This article provides an overview of polarizing mechanisms involved in high-frequency dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) of frozen biological samples at temperatures maintained using liquid nitrogen, compatible with contemporary magic-angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Typical DNP experiments require unpaired electrons that are usually exogenous in samples via paramagnetic doping with polarizing agents. Thus, the resulting nuclear polarization mechanism depends on the electron and nuclear spin interactions induced by the paramagnetic species. The Overhauser Effect (OE) DNP, which relies on time-dependent spin-spin interactions, is excluded from our discussion due the lack of conducting electrons in frozen aqueous solutions containing biological entities. DNP of particular interest to us relies primarily on time-independent, spin interactions for significant electron-nucleus polarization transfer through mechanisms such as the Solid Effect (SE), the Cross Effect (CE) or Thermal Mixing (TM), involving one, two or multiple electron spins, respectively. Derived from monomeric radicals initially used in DNP experiments, bi- or multiple-radical polarizing agents facilitate CE/TM to generate significant NMR signal enhancements in dielectric solids at low temperatures (< 100 K). For example, large DNP enhancements (~300 times at 5 T) from a biologically compatible biradical, 1-(TEMPO-4-oxy)-3-(TEMPO-4-amino)propan-2-ol (TOTAPOL), have enabled high-resolution MAS NMR in sample systems existing in submicron domains or embedded in larger biomolecular complexes. The scope of this review is focused on recently developed DNP polarizing agents for high-field applications and leads up to future developments per the CE DNP mechanism. Because DNP experiments are feasible with a solid-state microwave source when performed at <20 K, nuclear polarization using lower microwave power (< 100 mW) is possible by forcing a high proportion of biradicals to fulfill the frequency matching condition of CE (two EPR frequencies separated by the NMR frequency) using the strategies involving hetero-radical moieties and/or molecular alignment. In addition, the combination of an excited triplet and a stable radical might provide alternative DNP mechanisms without the microwave requirement.

The solid-state photo-CIDNP effect is the occurrence of a non-Boltzmann nuclear spin polarization in rigid samples upon illumination. For solid-state NMR, which can detect this enhanced nuclear polarization as a strong modification of signal intensity, the effect allows for new classes of experiments. Currently, the photo- and spin-chemical machinery of various RCs is studied by photo-CIDNP MAS NMR in detail. Until now, the effect has only been observed at high magnetic fields with 13C and 15N MAS NMR and in natural photosynthetic RC preparations in which blocking of the acceptor leads to cyclic electron transfer. In terms of irreversible thermodynamics, the high-order spin structure of the initial radical pair can be considered as a transient order phenomenon emerging under non-equilibrium conditions and as a first manifestation of order in the photosynthetic process. The solid-state photo-CIDNP effect appears to be an intrinsic property of natural RCs. The conditions of its occurrence seem to be conserved in evolution. The effect may be based on the same fundamental principles as the highly optimized electron transfer. Hence, the effect may allow for guiding artificial photosynthesis.

Electron and nuclear spins are very promising candidates to serve as quantum bits (qubits) for proposed quantum computers, as the spin degrees of freedom are relatively isolated from their surroundings and can be coherently manipulated, e.g., through pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). For solid-state spin systems, impurities in crystals based on carbon and silicon in various forms have been suggested as qubits, and very long relaxation rates have been observed in such systems. We have investigated a variety of these systems at high magnetic fields in our multifrequency pulsed EPR/ENDOR (electron nuclear double resonance) spectrometer. A high magnetic field leads to large electron spin polarizations at helium temperatures, giving rise to various phenomena that are of interest with respect to quantum computing. For example, it allows the initialization of both the electron spin as well as hyperfine-coupled nuclear spins in a well-defined state by combining millimeter and radio-frequency radiation. It can increase the T2 relaxation times by eliminating decoherence due to dipolar interaction and lead to new mechanisms for the coherent electrical readout of electron spins. We will show some examples of these and other effects in Si:P, SiC:N and nitrogen-related centers in diamond.

Understanding magnetism and electron correlation in many unconventional superconductors is essential to explore mechanism of superconductivity. In this work, we perform a systematic numerical study of the magnetic and pair binding properties in recently discovered polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) superconductors including alkali-metal-doped picene, coronene, phenanthrene, and dibenzopentacene. The π-electrons on the carbon atoms of a single molecule are modelled by the one-orbital Hubbard model, and the energy difference between carbon atoms with and without hydrogen bonds is taking into account. We demonstrate that the spin polarized ground state is realized for charged molecules in the physical parameter regions, which provides a reasonable explanation of local spins observed in PAHs. In alkali-metal-doped dibenzopentacene, our results show that electron correlation may produce an effective attraction between electrons for the charged molecule with one or three added electrons.

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) can provide large signal enhancements in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) by transfer of polarization from electron spins to nuclear spins. We discuss several aspects of DNP experiments at 9.4 Tesla (400 MHz resonant frequency for 1H, 264 GHz for electron spins in organic radicals) in the 7–80 K temperature range, using a 30 mW, frequency-tunable microwave source and a quasi-optical microwave bridge for polarization control and low-loss microwave transmission. In experiments on frozen glycerol/water doped with nitroxide radicals, DNP signal enhancements up to a factor of 80 are observed (relative to 1H NMR signals with thermal equilibrium spin polarization). The largest sensitivity enhancements are observed with a new triradical dopant, DOTOPA-TEMPO. Field modulation with a 10 G root-mean-squared amplitude during DNP increases the nuclear spin polarizations by up to 135%. Dependencies of 1H NMR signal amplitudes, nuclear spin relaxation times, and DNP build-up times on the dopant and its concentration, temperature, microwave power, and modulation frequency are reported and discussed. The benefits of low-temperature DNP can be dramatic: the 1H spin polarization is increased approximately 1000-fold at 7 K with DNP, relative to thermal polarization at 80 K.

We have investigated the polarization-resolved photoluminescence (PL) in an asymmetric n-type GaAs/AlAs/GaAlAs resonant tunneling diode under magnetic field parallel to the tunnel current. The quantum well (QW) PL presents strong circular polarization (values up to -70% at 19 T). The optical emission from GaAs contact layers shows evidence of highly spin-polarized two-dimensional electron and hole gases which affects the spin polarization of carriers in the QW. However, the circular polarization degree in the QW also depends on various other parameters, including the g-factors of the different layers, the density of carriers along the structure, and the Zeeman and Rashba effects.

Electronic carriers in graphene show a high carrier mobility at room temperature. Thus, this system is widely viewed as a potential future charge-based high-speed electronic material to complement–or replace–silicon. At the same time, the spin properties of graphene have suggested improved capability for spin-based electronics or spintronics and spin-based quantum computing. As a result, the detection, characterization and transport of spin have become topics of interest in graphene. Here we report a microwave photo-excited transport study of monolayer and trilayer graphene that reveals an unexpectedly strong microwave-induced electrical response and dual microwave-induced resonances in the dc resistance. The results suggest the resistive detection of spin resonance, and provide a measurement of the g-factor, the spin relaxation time and the sub-lattice degeneracy splitting at zero magnetic field.

Along with its electronic characteristics, the spin properties of graphene have recently received increasing attention in the context of spintronic applications. Using microwave radiation, Mani et al. identify resistively detected spin resonance in monolayer and trilayer graphene sheets and extract the value for the Landé g-factor.

The development of chemical systems with switchable molecular spins could lead to the architecture of materials with controllable magnetic or spintronic properties. Here, we present conclusive evidence that the spin of an organometallic molecule coupled to a ferromagnetic substrate can be switched between magnetic off and on states by a chemical stimulus. This is achieved by nitric oxide (NO) functioning as an axial ligand of cobalt(II)tetraphenylporphyrin (CoTPP) ferromagnetically coupled to nickel thin-film (Ni(001)). On NO addition, the coordination sphere of Co2+ is modified and a NO–CoTPP nitrosyl complex is formed, which corresponds to an off state of the Co spin. Thermal dissociation of NO from the nitrosyl complex restores the on state of the Co spin. The NO-induced reversible off–on switching of surface-adsorbed molecular spins observed here is attributed to a spin trans effect.

Chemical systems with switchable molecular spins could allow the development of materials with controllable spintronic properties. Here, the authors show that nitric oxide coordination to cobalt(II)tetraphenylporphyrin on a nickel surface, followed by thermal dissociation, leads to off-on spin switching.

Hyperfine couplings and g-values of nitroxyl spin labels are sensitive to polarity and hydrogen bonding in the environment probed. The dependences of these electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR) properties on environmental dielectric permittivity and proticity are reviewed. Calibrations are given, in terms of the Block–Walker reaction field and local proton donor concentration, for the nitroxides that are commonly used in spin labeling of lipids and proteins. Applications to studies of the transverse polarity profiles in lipid bilayers, which constitute the permeability barrier of biological membranes, are reviewed. Emphasis is given to parallels with the permeation profiles of oxygen and nitric oxide that are determined from spin-label relaxation enhancements by using nonlinear continuous-wave EPR and saturation recovery EPR, and with permeation profiles of D2O that are determined by using 2H electron spin echo envelope modulation spectroscopy.

The magnetic properties of metal-functionalized graphitic carbon nitride nanotubes were investigated based on first-principles calculations. The graphitic carbon nitride nanotube can be either ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic by functionalizing with different metal atoms. The W- and Ti-functionalized nanotubes are ferromagnetic, which are attributed to carrier-mediated interactions because of the coupling between the spin-polarized d and p electrons and the formation of the impurity bands close to the band edges. However, Cr-, Mn-, Co-, and Ni-functionalized nanotubes are antiferromagnetic because of the anti-alignment of the magnetic moments between neighboring metal atoms. The functionalized nanotubes may be used in spintronics and hydrogen storage.

The electrical conductance of single n-alkanethiol and α,ω-alkanedithiol molecules was measured via in situ distance tunneling spectroscopy in aqueous 0.1M KOH solution. The statistical analysis of the conductance values show that the α,ω-alkanedithiol molecule trapped in the STM break junction can adopt two distinct geometries that result in “lower” and “higher” conductivity values. In contrast, n-alkanethiol molecules trapped in the junction show only a single conductivity value characteristic for a particular molecule. Furthermore, the “lower” conductivity value determined for α,ω-alkanedithiol is virtually identical to the electrical conductivity of the n-alkanethiol containing the same number of atoms in the backbone. Moreover when the STM tip is polarized to electrochemical potential preventing a chemical reaction between terminal -SH group and Au, only “lower” conductivity values are observed for α,ω-alkaneditiols.

Selective coherence control and electrically mediated exchange coupling of single electron spin between triplet and singlet states using numerically derived optimal control of proton pulses is demonstrated. We obtained spatial confinement below size of the Bohr radius for proton spin chain FWHM. Precise manipulation of individual spins and polarization of electron spin states are analyzed via proton induced emission and controlled population of energy shells in pure 29Si nanocrystal. Entangled quantum states of channeled proton trajectories are mapped in transverse and angular phase space of 29Si axial channel alignment in order to avoid transversal excitations. Proton density and proton energy as impact parameter functions are characterized in single particle density matrix via discretization of diagonal and nearest off-diagonal elements. We combined high field and low densities (1 MeV/92 nm) to create inseparable quantum state by superimposing the hyperpolarizationed proton spin chain with electron spin of 29Si. Quantum discretization of density of states (DOS) was performed by the Monte Carlo simulation method using numerical solutions of proton equations of motion. Distribution of gaussian coherent states is obtained by continuous modulation of individual spin phase and amplitude. Obtained results allow precise engineering and faithful mapping of spin states. This would provide the effective quantum key distribution (QKD) and transmission of quantum information over remote distances between quantum memory centers for scalable quantum communication network. Furthermore, obtained results give insights in application of channeled protons subatomic microscopy as a complete versatile scanning-probe system capable of both quantum engineering of charged particle states and characterization of quantum states below diffraction limit linear and in-depth resolution.

PACS numbers: 03.65.Ud, 03.67.Bg, 61.85.+p, 67.30.hj