The magnetoelectrochemical switch

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...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2014-07, Vol.111 (29), p.10433-10437
Main Authors: Popa, Petru Lunca, Kemp, Neil T., Majjad, Hicham, Dalmas, Guillaume, Faramarzi, Vina, Andreas, Christian, Hertel, Riccardo, Doudin, Bernard
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chemical equilibrium
Chemicals
Electric current
Electric fields
Electrodes
Electrolytes
Fluid mechanics
Force field
Magnetic fields
Magnetism
Magnetization
Molecules
Physical Sciences
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Summary: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 10 3 . The results reveal how an external field can impact chemical equilibrium in the vicinity of nanoscale magnetic circuits.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1322828111