Study of polymer–magnetic electrode interfaces using XPS

Organic spintronics studies spin carrier transportation through organic semiconductors. Understanding how to control this spin current within devices is an important step forward within the research area. The study of the interfaces between the magnetic electrodes and the organic semiconductor (known as the “spinterface”) to obtain efficient carrier injection and extraction is important. In this work, the bonding at the spinterface between the magnetic electrode and the polymer regio-regular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (RR-P3HT) has been studied using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that the bonding between the magnetic electrode and the RR-P3HT depended on both the nature of the magnetic electrode and the solvent used to spin-coat the RR-P3HT. The results are collated with the magnetoresistance measurements made on polymeric spin valve devices.