Current-in-plane spin polarization and magnetoresistance in a chiral device

Chirality-induced current-in-plane magnetoresistance (CCIP-MR) has been recently observed in a structure where the chiral molecules do not serve as the drain current channels [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 144, 7302 (2022)], which is different from the conventional chiral-induced spin selectivity devices. In this theoretical work, we propose the concept of chiral virtual leads (CVLs) to characterize the role of the chiral molecules and put forward a phenomenological model to interpret the origin of CCIP-MR. We find that the spin preference for charge exchange at the interface between the CVLs and the scattering region can lead to a significant CCIP-MR. The theoretical results align well with the experimental observations. Our study provides insights into manipulating device properties using chiral materials.