Design Strategies and Advancements in Organic Spintronics: from Material Engineering and Interfacial Modification to Functional Devices

Abstract

Abstract Organic spintronics, which has emerged as a burgeoning interdisciplinary subject, has recently attracted much research enthusiasm from both the scientific community and industry. As a category of materials typically composed of light elements, organic materials inherently possess weaker spin‒orbit coupling and hyperfine interactions, which are considered beneficial for spin transport. Numerous organic materials have been meticulously synthesized to reveal their structure‒performance relationships. The spinterface effect induced by the ferromagnetic metal/organic material interface has led to novel physical mechanisms. The development of functional devices has promoted this field toward practical applications. Herein, design strategies and advancements in this field are presented, focusing on active material design, interfacial modification, and functional devices. First, the review discusses the influence of the active layer design on spin‐related properties, including the chemical structures of small molecules, polymers, their multicomponent regulation strategies, and chiral materials. Subsequently, the review enumerates reliable ferromagnetic electrode preparation methods and spinterface modification methods aimed at adjusting the spin injection and transport efficiency. Moreover, a comprehensive overview of the strategies for enhancing the performance of functional devices in this field is presented. Finally, a concise summary and prospective outlook are proposed, highlighting the necessity and potential for future advancements in organic spintronics.