Single Wall Carbon Nanotube Architectures for Molecular-Scale Spin Injection Devices

在磁电子学中，电荷载流子的自旋被利用。在分子电子学中，电路具有原子级的精度。我们的目标是通过制造异质结构器件，将半金属（如锰氧化物）与单壁碳纳米管（SWNTs）集成这两个领域。铁磁锰氧化物是自旋极化电子（极化？100%）。碳纳米管显示出奇异的性质（近藤物理，Luttinger液体行为和超导波动），我们将探索和利用自旋极化注入。值得注意的是，自旋注入将跨越纳米级界面。因此，器件的性能可能远远超过平面隧道结的性能，其中界面是不完善的，跨度几微米。所提出的工作的科学价值首先来自其材料科学的影响。SWNT结构的原位生长尚未实现。其次，使用单壁碳纳米管作为非铁磁层的架构提供了有趣的可能性所产生的事实，即单壁碳纳米管的磁性界面被带到分子尺度。这与单壁碳纳米管固有的一维性和极长的弹性和相散射长度相结合，允许朝着新一代分子尺度功能器件的方向发展。这一建议的更广泛影响是培训和指导研究生，特别是少数民族学生和女学生，使其成为未来的专业人员。另一个关键是NJIT和罗格斯大学之间的持续合作，这两所公立院校的少数民族学生比例很高（超过40%）。继续合作将为两所院校提供更多培训本科生和研究生的机会，并分享资源。

In magnetoelectronics the spin of the charge carriers is exploited. In molecular electronics the circuits possess precision at the atomic level. We aim to integrate these two fields by fabricating heterostructure devices that will integrate half-metals (such as manganites) with single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The ferromagnetic manganites are a particularly effective source of spin-polarized electrons (polarization?100%). Carbon nanotubes display exotic properties (Kondo physics, Luttinger liquid behavior and superconducting fluctuations) that we will explore and exploit with spin polarized injection. Significantly, spin-injection will be across nanoscale interfaces. Therefore device performance could far exceed the performance of planar tunnel junctions in which the interfaces are imperfect and span several microns.The scientific merit of the proposed work arises firstly from its materials science impact. The in-situ growth of SWNT architectures has yet to be achieved. Secondly, the use of SWNTs as the non-ferromagnetic layer in the architecture offers intriguing possibilities arising from the fact that the SWNT-magnetic interface is brought down to molecular dimensions. This combined with the intrinsic one-dimensionality and extremely long elastic- and phase- scattering lengths of SWNTs allows progress towards a new generation of molecular-scale functional devices. The broader impact of this proposal is in the training and mentoring of graduate students, in particular minority and women students, to be future professionals. Another key is the continuing collaboration between NJIT and Rutgers, two public institutions with high (over 40%) percentage of underrepresented minority students. The continuing collaboration will provide more opportunities for training larger number of undergraduate and graduate students at both institutions and sharing of resources.