Cu-induced spin polarization in tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum

Abstract

Cu-induced spin polarization in tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum [Formula: see text] has been studied by first-principles calculation. The entanglement between an electron transfer from Cu to [Formula: see text] and a structural distortion of the [Formula: see text] molecule gives rise to a strong spin polarization in this originally nonmagnetic molecule [Formula: see text]. The calculated total magnetic moment mainly resides on the [Formula: see text] molecule [Formula: see text], while that on Cu is moderate [Formula: see text]. The finding of a spin polarization induced by the nonmagnetic element Cu is helpful for understanding of spin-related phenomenon in [Formula: see text] and potentially enabling future magnetic-metal-free organic spintronics.