title: Self-assembled monolayers based spintronics: from ferromagnetic surface functionalization to spin-dependent transport.
abstract: Chemically functionalized surfaces are studied for a wide range of applications going from medicine to electronics. Whereas non-magnetic surfaces have been widely studied, functionalization of magnetic surfaces is much less common and has almost never been used for spintronics applications. In this article we present the functionalization of La2/3Sr1/3MnO3, a ferromagnetic oxide, with self-assembled monolayers for spintronics. La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 is the prototypical half-metallic manganite used in spintronics studies. First, we show that La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 can be functionalized by alkylphosphonic acid molecules. We then emphasize the use of these functionalized surfaces in spintronics devices such as magnetic tunnel junctions fabricated using a nano-indentation based lithography technique. The observed exponential increase of tunnel resistance as a function of alkyl chain length is a direct proof of the successful connection of molecules to ferromagnetic electrodes. For all alkyl chains studied we obtain stable and robust tunnel magnetoresistance, with effects ranging from a few tens to 10 000%. These results show that functionalized electrodes can be integrated in spintronics devices and open the door to a molecular engineering of spintronics.
authors.affiliation: Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS-Thales, 1 Av. A. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau, France and Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay, France. Instituto de Ciencia Molecular (ICMol), Universitat de Valencia, C. Caterdratico Jose Beltran 2, 46980 Paterna, Spain.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tatay
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galbiati
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delprat
authors.forename: Clément
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barraud
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bouzehouane
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Collin
authors.forename: Cyrile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deranlot
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jacquet
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seneor
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mattana
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petroff
mesh_terms: D055615:Electrical Equipment and Supplies; D004583:Electrons; D007811:Lanthanum / Q000737:chemistry; D060328:Magnetic Phenomena; D059346:Magnets / Q000737:chemistry*; D017895:Manganese Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D010757:Phosphorous Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D013324:Strontium / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D017895:Manganese Compounds; D010087:Oxides; D010757:Phosphorous Acids; C494384:manganite; C570063:phosphonic acid; C027424:manganese oxide; D007811:Lanthanum; D013324:Strontium