The magnetoelectrochemical switch

Lunca Popa, P.; Kemp, Neil T.; Majjad, Hicham; Dalmas, Guillaume; Faramarzi, Vina; Andreas, Christian; Hertel, Riccardo; Doudin, Bernard

Abstract

In the field of spintronics, the archetype solid-state two-terminal device is the spin valve, where the resistance is controlled by the magnetization configuration. We show here how this concept of spin-dependent switch can be extended to magnetic electrodes in solution, by magnetic control of their chemical environment. Appropriate nanoscale design allows a huge enhancement of the magnetic force field experienced by paramagnetic molecular species in solutions, which changes between repulsive and attractive on changing the electrodes' magnetic orientations. Specifically, the field gradient force created within a sub-100-nm-sized nanogap separating two magnetic electrodes can be reversed by changing the orientation of the electrodes' magnetization relative to the current flowing between the electrodes. This can result in a breaking or making of an electric nanocontact, with a change of resistance by a factor of up to 103. The results reveal how an external field can impact chemical equilibrium in the vicinity of nanoscale magnetic circuits.

Citation

Lunca Popa, P., Kemp, N. T., Majjad, H., Dalmas, G., Faramarzi, V., Andreas, C., Hertel, R., & Doudin, B. (2014). The magnetoelectrochemical switch. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111(29), 10433-10437. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1322828111

• Acceptance Date: Jun 20, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Jul 9, 2014
• Publication Date: Jul 22, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jul 28, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 28, 2015
• Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
• Print ISSN: 0027-8424
• Publisher: National Academy of Sciences
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 111
• Issue: 29
• Pages: 10433-10437
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1322828111
• Keywords: Magnetohydrodynamics, Spintronics, Supramolecular chemistry
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/376933
• Publisher URL: http://www.pnas.org/content/111/29/10433
• Additional Information: Author's accepted manuscript of article published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014, v.111, issue 29.
• Contract Date: Jul 28, 2015