Spin-to-Charge Conversion Modulated by Chiral Molecules

Molecular chirality and electron spin are intricately intertwined via the fascinating phenomenon of chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS), which has garnered considerable attention due to its extensive potential applications. A recent experiment revealed that chiral molecules self-assembled on the gold surface can modulate the inverse spin Hall effect, providing an alternative platform for studying the interplay between chirality and spin transport. Our study uncovers that this modulation stems from the CISS effect, which enhances spin currents of one spin orientation while suppressing those of the opposite spin orientation. We provide numerical results that are highly consistent with the experimental phenomena and further investigate the influence of various factors on this modulation. This work offers a theoretical explanation of previously unexplained experimental findings, and the underlying physical mechanism broadens current perspectives for understanding and applying CISS.