Effect of organic spacer in an organic spin valve using organic magnetic semiconductor V[TCNE]xV[TCNE]x

We studied the role of organic semiconductor spacer tris (8-hydroxyquinoline) (Alq3(Alq3) in a hybrid spin valve which is comprised of V[TCNE]xV[TCNE]x (x ∼∼ 2, TCNE: tetracyanoethylene) and Fe as the ferromagnetic layers. We compare two types of devices: Fe/V[TCNE]xV[TCNE]x/Al and Fe/Alq3Alq3/V[TCNE]xV[TCNE]x/Al, showing that organic spacer is not indispensable for the appearance of the spin valve effect. However, the device with Alq3Alq3 spacer has magnetoresistance (MR) value one order of magnitude larger than the device without spacer. The MR of both devices diminish with increasing temperature, while only the Fe/Alq3/V[TCNE]xAlq3/V[TCNE]x/Al device shows room-temperature MR.

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► We study the role of organic semiconductor spacer in a hybrid spin valve.
► Organic spacer is not indispensable for the appearance of the spin valve effect.
► The introduction of spacer greatly improves the performance of the device.