A molecular spin-photovoltaic device

Abstract

A spin-valve solar cell Electronic spin currents can be measured with a spin valve—a device that injects charge carriers from one ferromagnetic electrode to another through a semiconductor layer. Some organic semiconductors can have long spin-carrier lifetimes and can also generate charge carriers through the photovoltaic effect. Sun et al. fabricated a spin valve based on C 60 and showed that the spin current could be modulated by the photocurrent. At certain light intensities, the sign of the photocurrent could be changed using an applied magnetic field, an effect that could potentially be harnessed for sensing applications. Science , this issue p. 677