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Quantum-interference effect on the spin polarization driven by protein-like single-helical molecules

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Abstract

We report a theoretical study about the spin-dependent electron transport through a two-arm mesoscopic circuit in which two protein-like single-helical molecules connect serially with two normal metallic leads, respectively. Based on an effective-model Hamiltonian, the spin polarization is evaluated using the Landauer–Büttiker formula. Our results reveal that in comparison with the single-arm case, the spin-polarization efficiency can be enhanced in this system, by adjusting the length ratio of two molecules and the molecule–lead coupling manner. Besides, when local magnetic flux is introduced, the Aharonov–Bohm effect makes a nontrivial contribution to the spin polarization. These findings can be helpful for building the helical-molecule-based spin filters.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant no. N160504009), Science Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Liaoning Province, China (Grant no. L2014099), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 11504045).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, China

    Hai-Na Wu, Yang Yang, Guang-Yu Yi & Wei-Jiang Gong

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  1. Hai-Na Wu
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  2. Yang Yang
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  3. Guang-Yu Yi
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  4. Wei-Jiang Gong
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Correspondence to Wei-Jiang Gong.

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Wu, HN., Yang, Y., Yi, GY. et al. Quantum-interference effect on the spin polarization driven by protein-like single-helical molecules. Appl. Phys. A 123, 765 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-017-1373-8

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