Electrical transport between epitaxial manganites and carbon nanotubes

The possibility of performing spintronics at the molecular level may be realized in devices that combine fully spin polarized oxides, such as manganites with carbon nanotubes. However, it is not clear whether electrical transport between such different material systems is viable. Here, we show that the room-temperature conductance of manganite-nanotube-manganite devices is only one-half of the value recorded in similar palladium-nanotube-palladium devices. Interestingly, the former shows a gap in the conductivity below the relatively high temperature of 200 K. Our results suggest the possibility of new spintronics heterostructures that exploit fully spin polarized sources and drains. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.