Magnetoresistance, spin filtering and negative differential resistance effects in an endohedral Fe@C60 dimer

• Spin-polarized transport properties of an endohedral Fe@C60 dimer are investigated.
• Direction of the magnetic moments of two Fe atoms can be controlled by applying a magnetic field.
• Magnetoresistance, spin filtering and negative differential resistance effects can be observed.

Based on non-equilibrium Green's method and density functional theory, the spin-polarized transport properties of an endohedral Fe@C60 dimer-based spintronic device are investigated. The direction of the magnetic moments of the two Fe atoms can be controlled by applying a magnetic field. The interesting magnetoresistance, spin filtering and negative differential resistance effects can be observed in this device. These phenomena are explained by the evolution of spin-dependent transmission spectra and projected density of states with the increase in bias, as well as the voltage drop distributions.