Organic semiconductors, characterized by weak spin-scattering mechanisms, are attractive materials for those spintronic applications in which the spin information needs to be retained for long times. Prototypical spin-valve devices employing organic interlayers sandwiched between ferromagnetic materials possess a figure of merit (measured in terms of magnetoresistance; MR) comparable to their fully inorganic counterparts. However, many results from literature are a matter of debate as the conductivity of the devices does not show the expected temperature dependence. Here we show spin valves with an interlayer of bathocuproine in which the transport takes place unambiguously through the organic layer and where the electron spin coherence is maintained over large distances (more than 60 nm) at room temperature. For further exploiting the multipurpose application of organic spin devices, fluorinated copper phthalocyanine (F<sub>16</sub>CuPc) has been employed as an interlayer in spin valve. By following an unconventional low-temperature fabrication procedure, F<sub>16</sub>CuPc-based spin valves exhibit carrier transport that unambiguously takes place through the organic layer even at low bias range, while the spin coherence is maintained over record-long distances (more than 180 nm) at room temperature. Additionally, we merge the spin transport with photo-response in a single device, building a promising platform for the realization of multifunctional cells.

Room-temperature air-stable spin transport in molecular-based multipurpose spin valves

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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