Effect of Chiral-Induced Spin Selectivity in Half-Metallic La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 Thin Films

Abstract

Magnetism induced by the proximity effects of chiral molecules is a physical phenomenon that can be demonstrated with molecular layers as thin as 1 nm deposited on thin films of conventional ferromagnets. Although the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect has been widely explored in the context of spintronic applications involving charge transport through chiral molecules, due to its capacity to generate high spin polarizations at room temperature, the accompanying process of induced magnetization without applied current likewise presents opportunities for exploitation. In this work, we demonstrate that, unlike conventional ferromagnets, where the induced magnetization aligns with the chiral axis of the polymer, the CISS effect in half-metallic ferromagnets (La0.67Sr0.33MnO3) favors a quasi-perpendicular magnetization configuration. This preference for quasi-perpendicular magnetization is caused by the formation of a thermally driven steady state, which, due to different transport probabilities into the molecule, results in a modification of the domain-wall energy landscape. These results provide insight into the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect without net currents and also clarify mechanism for controlling magnetization within half-metallic thin films for spintronic devices.