The field of spintronics has triggered an enormous revolution in information storage since the first observation of giant magnetoresistance (GMR). Molecular semiconductors are characterized by having very long spin relaxation times up to milliseconds, and are thus widely considered to hold immense potential for spintronic applications. Along with the development of molecular spintronics, it is clear that the study of multipurpose spintronic devices has gradually grown into a new research and development direction. The abundant photoelectric properties of molecular semiconductors and the intriguing functionality of the spinterface, together with novel designs of device structures, have promoted the integration of multiple functions and different mechanisms into discrete spintronic devices. Here, according to the different relationships between the integrated mechanisms, multifunctional molecular spintronic devices containing parallel and interactive types are highlighted. This is followed by the introduction of pure-spin-current-type molecular spintronic devices that have already demonstrated great potential for multifunction exploration. Finally, the challenges and outlook that make this field young and energetic are outlined.

Recent Advances in Molecular Spintronics: Multifunctional Spintronic Devices.

High-Efficiency Ternary Organic Solar Cells with a Good Figure-of-Merit Enabled by Two Low-Cost Donor Polymers

Ternary strategy has been identified as a feasible and effective way to obtain high-efficiency organic solar cells (OSCs). However, for most ternary OSCs, the voltage loss (Vloss) lies between those...

Ternary Strategy Enabling High-Efficiency Rigid and Flexible Organic Solar Cells with Reduced Non-radiative Voltage Loss

Innovation of Materials, Devices, and Functionalized Interfaces in Organic Spintronics

Spin‐related phenomena in optoelectronic materials can revolutionize several technological applications in the areas of data processing and storage, quantum computing, lighting, energy harvesting, sensing, and healthcare. A fundamental boost to this promising field can be envisaged thanks to the use of two emerging materials, which have recently been receiving increasing scientific attention: organic semiconductors (OSCs) and halide perovskites (HPs). Here, the first progress in the resulting fields, organic‐ and perovskite‐based spintronics, is reviewed, which will enable the manipulation of spin, charges, and photons in spin/optoelectronic devices. A link between these two classes of materials is created by highlighting the pros and cons of each technology, and their potential applications in new multifunctional spintronic devices are discussed. Current challenges in the field are also outlined, and convenient approaches to overcome them are proposed.

https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/adom.202100215

Perspectives of organic and perovskite‐based spintronics

Because of the considerable advantages of functional molecules as well as supramolecules, such as the low cost, light weight, flexibility, and large area preparation via the solution method, molecular electronics has grown into an active and rapidly developing research field over the past few decades. Beyond those well-known advantages, a very long spin relaxation time of π-conjugated molecules, due to the weak spin-orbit coupling, facilitates a pioneering but fast-growing research field, known as molecular spintronics. Recently, a series of sustained progresses have been achieved with various π-conjugated molecular matrixes where spin transport is undoubtedly an important point for the spin physical process and multifunctional applications. Currently, most studies on spin transport are carried out with a molecule-based spin valve, which shows a typical geometry with a thin-film molecular layer sandwiched between two ferromagnetic electrodes. In such a device, the spin transport process has been demonstrated to have a close correlation with spin relaxation time and charge carrier mobility of π-conjugated molecules. In this review, the recent advances of spin transport in these two aspects have been systematically summarized. Particularly, spin transport in π-conjugated molecular materials, considered as promising for spintronics development, have also been highlighted, including molecular single crystal, cocrystal, solid solution as well as other highly ordered supramolecular structures.

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Spin Transport in Organic Molecules.

18.4% efficiency achieved by the cathode interface engineering in non-fullerene polymer solar cells

Incomplete Hetero-Structure Molecular Layer Enhancing Room-Temperature Spin-Photovoltaic Performances

High-performance floating-gate organic phototransistors based on n-type core-expanded naphthalene diimides

Abundant spin-related phenomena that originate from interfaces between ferromagnetic electrodes and molecular semiconductors have greatly enriched research in spintronics, and they are considered promising for realizing novel spintronic functionalities in the future. However, despite great efforts, the interfacial effect cannot be precisely controlled to achieve steady and predictable functions, especially at room temperature, and this has gradually become a significant bottleneck in the development of molecular spintronics. In this study, an innovative spin-filtering-competition mechanism was first proposed to continuously modulate the interfacial effect in molecular spin valves at room temperature. To form this novel mechanism, the original spin-filtering effect from pure Co competed with the newly generated one, which was induced by the bonding effect between Co and LiF. Subsequently, by precisely controlling competition through LiF coverage on the Co surface, continuous modulation of the spin-injection process could be successfully achieved at room temperature. Spin polarization of the injected current and magnetoresistance effect could be actively controlled or their sign could be completely reversed through this novel mechanism. This study provided an innovative approach and theory for precisely controlling the spin-related interfacial effects, which may further promote the scientific and technological development of spintronics. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Yang Qin

Papers

Spin Transport in Organic Molecules.

18.4% efficiency achieved by the cathode interface engineering in non-fullerene polymer solar cells

Incomplete Hetero-Structure Molecular Layer Enhancing Room-Temperature Spin-Photovoltaic Performances

High-performance floating-gate organic phototransistors based on n-type core-expanded naphthalene diimides

Continuous room-temperature spin-injection modulation achieved by spin-filtering competition in molecular spin valves.