Spin-dependent transport properties of oleic acid molecule self-assembled La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 nanoparticles

Spin-dependent transport property through molecules is investigated using a monolayer of oleic acid molecule self-assembled half metallic La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) nanoparticles, which was synthesized using a coprecipitation method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm that one-monolayer oleic acid molecules chemically bond to the LSMO nanoparticles. The transport properties and magnetoresistance (MR) effect of the oleic acid molecule coated LSMO nanoparticles were measured by a direct current four probes method using a Cu/nanoparticle assembly/elargol electrode sandwich device with various temperatures and bias voltages. The non-linear I–V curve indicates a tunneling type transport properties. The tunnel barrier height around 1.3 ± 0.15 eV was obtained by fitting the I–V curve according to the Simmons equation. The magnetoresistance curves can be divided to high-field MR and low-field MR (LFMR) parts. The former is ascribed to the influence of spin disorder or canting within the LSMO nanoparticle surface and the latter one with strong bias dependence is attributed to the spin-dependent tunneling effect through the insulating surface layer of LSMO and oleic acid molecules. The enhanced LFMR effect for oleic acid coated LSMO with respect to the bare LSMO was attributed to the enhanced tunneling transport and weak spin scattering in oleic acid molecule barrier.

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► Spin-dependent transport property of LSMO/oleic acid nanoparticles is investigated.
► Transport properties and MR measured by Cu/nanoparticle assembly/elargol device.
► Non-linear I–V curve indicates a tunneling type transport properties.
► Tunnel barrier height around 1.3 ± 0.15 eV was obtained by fitting I–V curves.
► LFMR of LSMO/oleic acid molecules value reaches −18% with current of 0.1 μA at 10 K.