Chirality Versus Symmetry: Electron's Spin Selectivity in Non-Polar Chiral Lead-Bromide Perovskites.

In the last decade, chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS), the spin-selective electron transport through chiral molecules, has been described in a large range of materials, from insulators to superconductors. Because more experimental studies are desired for the theoretical understanding of the CISS effect, chiral metal-halide semiconductors may contribute to the field thanks to their chiroptical and spintronic properties. In this regard, we use new chiral organic cations S-HP1A and R-HP1A (HP1A = 2-hydroxy-propyl-1-ammonium) to prepare two-dimensional (2D) chiral halide perovskites (HPs) which crystallize in the enantiomorphic space groups P4 3 2 1 2 and P4 1 2 1 2, respectively. The four-fold symmetry induces antiferroelectricity along the stacking axis which, combined to incomplete Rashba-like splitting in each individual 2D polar layer, results in rare spin textures in the band structure. As revealed by magnetic conductive-probe AFM measurements, these materials show CISS effect with partial spin polarization (±40-45%). This incomplete effect is efficient enough to drive a chiro-spintronic device as demonstrated by the fabrication of spin valve devices with magnetoresistance responses up to 250 K. Therefore, these stable lead-bromide HP materials not only represent interesting candidates for spintronic applications but also reveal the importance of polar symmetry-breaking topology for spin selectivity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.