Spin-Dependent Electrochemistry without Magnet

Chiral Induced Spin Selectivity (CISS) effect demonstrates the preferential transport of one spin orientation of the electrons through the chiral molecules.¹ Hence, the production of an effective local magnetic field on a nanometric scale can be achieved.² We report a quantitative study of spin accumulation as a function of current passing through chiral molecule in a conventional electrochemical cell, when the working electrode is made from gallium nitride (GaN). Chiral molecules are adsorbed on the GaN surface). The spin accumulation/magnetic field is monitored applying a Hall setup made on top of the working electrode.³ The strength and direction of the magnetic field measured correlates with the spin preference for electrons transmitted through the adsorbed chiral layer.

Figure 1: Set-up for simultaneous spin-dependent electrochemistry/Hall potential measurement on GaN device.

References

1. Naaman, R., and Waldeck D., J. Phys. Chem. Lett, 2012, 3, 2178-2187.

2. Ben Dor, O., Morali, N., Yochelis, S., Baczewski, L. T. and Paltiel, Y., Nano Lett. 2014, 14, 6042–6049.

3. Eckshtain-Levi, M.; Capua, E.; Refaely-Abramson, S.; Sarkar, S.; Gavrilov, Y.; Mathew, S. P.; Paltiel, Y.; Levy, Y.; Kronik, L. and Naaman, R., Nature Comm. 2016, doi: 10.1038/ncomms10744.