PIX2025 - Selective Probing of Innovative Nanochiral Structures (SPINS) - (PREX2024-000153)

The demand for faster, smaller, and more energy-efficient electronic and spintronic devices necessitates new materials. Organic materials are promising due to their flexibility, low-temperature processing, and chemical tunability, offering avenues for flexible electronics and quantum computing. A key emerging field is chiro-spintronics, which explores how electron spins interact with chiral (helical) structures, holding significant potential for data processing and storage. This PhD project will investigate chiral organic materials for spin and charge selective transport, aiming to create next-generation digital materials. This involves designing and synthesizing organic molecules that self-assemble into helical structures, exploiting the Chiral Induced Spin Selectivity (CISS) effect. To characterize these materials, we'll use advanced scanning probe microscopy, specifically magnetic conductive probe-atomic force microscopy (mc-AFM) with a ferromagnetic electrode as a spin analyzer. We will develop the setup for operando measurements under various stimuli (temperature, magnetic fields, light). Complementary studies include electron transport, magneto-optical Kerr effect and experiments at large-scale facilities like synchrotron ALBA. Ultimately, the project aims to identify optimal chiral materials for spin logic devices and establish design rules and fabrication protocols for future digital technology applications.