Temperature-dependence of the chirality-induced spin selectivity effect -- experiments and theory

Abstract: The temperature dependence of the chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect can be used to discriminate between different theoretical proposals for the mechanism of the CISS effect. Here we briefly review key experimental results and discuss the effect of temperature in different models for the CISS effect. We then focus on the recently suggested spinterface mechanism and describe the different possible effects temperature can have within this model. Finally, we analyze in detail recent experimental results from Qian, et.al., (Nature, 606, 902-908 (2022)) and demonstrate that, opposite to the original interpretation by the authors, these data indicate that the CISS effect increases with decreasing temperature. Finally, we show how the spinterface model can accurately reproduce these experimental results.