title: Spin polarized electron tunneling and magnetoresistance in molecular junctions.
abstract: This chapter reviews tunneling of spin-polarized electrons through molecules positioned between ferromagnetic electrodes, which gives rise to tunneling magnetoresistance. Such measurements yield important insight into the factors governing spin-polarized electron injection into organic semiconductors, thereby offering the possibility to manipulate the quantum-mechanical spin degrees of freedom for charge carriers in optical/electrical devices. In the first section of the chapter a brief description of the Jullière model of spin-dependent electron tunneling is reviewed. Next, a brief description of device fabrication and characterization is presented. The bulk of the review highlights experimental studies on spin-polarized electron tunneling and magnetoresistance in molecular junctions. In addition, some experiments describing spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy on single molecules are mentioned. Finally, some general conclusions and prospectus on the impact of spin-polarized tunneling in molecular junctions are offered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 34587, USA. gjs@ua.edu
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Szulczewski
mesh_terms: D017097:Electric Impedance; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004583:Electrons; D008280:Magnetics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D059346:Magnets / Q000737:chemistry*; D016252:Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling / Q000379:methods; D008958:Models, Molecular; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D012666:Semiconductors
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals