A new programmable platform decodes the selective spin of electrons

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have developed a novel programmable platform that replicates the conditions underlying the chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect, a quantum phenomenon where electrons exhibit spin-dependent transport when passing through chiral (twisted) molecules. This effect, first discovered in the late 1990s, has been observed in biological systems such as photosynthesis and cellular respiration but remained poorly understood due to the complexity and variability of real biomolecules. The new artificial system uses a layered material composed of lanthanum aluminate and strontium titanate, on which researchers "draw" spiral-like electron pathways using a microscopic probe that modulates voltage in sync with its movement, creating chiral waveguides that break mirror symmetry. This engineered platform allows precise control over the geometry and parameters of the chiral channels, enabling systematic study of spin-dependent quantum transport phenomena. Experiments revealed unusual conductance patterns and electron pairing behaviors consistent with theoretical models where spiral geometry induces spin-orbit coupling,