1206.6729 (Xuhui Wang et al.)

Peculiarities of Spin Polarization Inversion at a Thiophene/Cobalt
Interface    [PDF]

Xuhui Wang, Zhiyong Zhu, Aurelien Manchon, Udo Schwingenschloegl

We perform \ti{ab-initio} calculations to investigate the spin polarization at the interface between a thiophene molecule and cobalt substrate. In contrast to the expected spin polarization inversion [N. Atodiresei et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 105}, 066601 (2010)], the reduced symmetry in the presence of a sulfur atom leads to a strong spatial dependence of the spin polarization of the molecule: The two carbon atoms far from the sulfur acquire a polarization opposite to that of the substrate, while the carbon atoms bonded directly to sulfur possess the same polarization as the substrate. We determine the origin of this peculiar spin interface property as well as its impact on the spin transport.

View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1206.6729