Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) is usually associated with molecular handedness. The possible contribution of chiral phonons is less established. We study a helical tight-binding model in which local phonon angular momentum modulates spin-dependent nearest-neighbor hopping. Fewest-switches surface hopping calculations give the transmitted spin polarization $\mathrm{SP}=aC+b\mathrm{PH}$. Here $C$ is the molecular chirality and $\mathrm{PH}$ is the phonon chirality. A mirror symmetry reverses $C$, $\mathrm{PH}$, and $\mathrm{SP}$ simultaneously. This symmetry excludes both a chirality-independent offset and a $C\cdot\mathrm{PH}$ term. The phonon contribution can therefore enhance, cancel, or reverse the molecular CISS signal.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Institution: Westlake University
Language: English
Subfield: Condensed Matter Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G2728288208, G5358593216
OpenAlex ID: W7213884980