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Graphitic Silicon Nitride: A Metal‐Free Ferromagnet with Charge and Spin Current Rectification
Author(s) -
Sen Sabyasachi,
Chakrabarti Swapan
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.201402265
Subject(s) - rectification , spin (aerodynamics) , biasing , condensed matter physics , quantum tunnelling , charge (physics) , physics , atomic orbital , realization (probability) , optoelectronics , materials science , chemistry , electron , voltage , quantum mechanics , statistics , mathematics , thermodynamics
As a first example, herein we show that g‐Si 4 N 3 is expected to act as a metal‐free ferromagnet featuring both charge and spin current rectification simultaneously. Such rectification is crucial for envisioning devices that contain both logic and memory functionality on a single chip. The spin coherent quantum‐transport calculations on g‐Si 4 N 3 reveal that the chosen system is a unique molecular spin filter, the current‐voltage characteristics of which is asymmetric in nature, which can create a perfect background for synchronous charge and spin current rectification. To shed light on this highly unusual in‐silico observation, we have meticulously inspected the bias‐dependent modulation of the spin‐polarized eigenstates. The results indicate that, whereas only the localized 2p orbitals of the outer‐ring (OR) Si atoms participate in the transmission process in the positive bias, both OR Si and N atoms contribute in the reverse bias. Furthermore, we have evaluated the spin‐polarized electron‐transfer rate in the tunneling regime, and the results demonstrate that the transfer rates are unequal in the positive and negative bias range, leading to the possible realization of a simultaneous logic–memory device.