Chirality-Driven Magnetization Emerges from Relativistic Four-Current Dynamics

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Upadhyay, Shiv, Zheng, Xuechen, Wang, Tian, Shayit, Agam, Liu, Jun, Sun, Dali, Li, Xiaosong
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Upadhyay, Shiv
Zheng, Xuechen
Wang, Tian
Shayit, Agam
Liu, Jun
Sun, Dali
Li, Xiaosong
author_facet Upadhyay, Shiv
Zheng, Xuechen
Wang, Tian
Shayit, Agam
Liu, Jun
Sun, Dali
Li, Xiaosong
contents Chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) is a striking quantum phenomenon in which electron transport through chiral molecules leads to spin polarization -- even in the absence of external magnetic fields or magnetic components. Although observed in systems such as DNA, helicenes, proteins, and polymers, the fundamental physical origin of CISS remains unresolved. Here, we introduce a time-dependent relativistic four-current framework, in which charge and current densities evolve according to the time-dependent variational principle. Real-time relativistic four-current simulations enable direct analysis of helical currents and induced magnetization dynamics. Applied to helicenes -- axially chiral molecules lacking stereocenters -- our simulations reveal curvature-induced helical electron currents that generate spontaneous magnetic fields aligned along the molecular axis. These fields are handedness-dependent and reach magnitudes of $10^{-1}$ Tesla per single helicene strand. Our results suggest that CISS may arise from intrinsic, relativistic curvature-induced helical currents and the associated magnetic fields within chiral molecules. This four-current mechanism offers a self-contained explanation for the driving force underlying spin selectivity, independent of interfacial effects or unphysically enhanced spin-orbit coupling. Furthermore, our results provide a new perspective that offers a unifying framework with the potential to reconcile many existing hypotheses and theoretical models, while also suggesting several testable predictions that can be examined experimentally.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_03781
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Chirality-Driven Magnetization Emerges from Relativistic Four-Current Dynamics
Upadhyay, Shiv
Zheng, Xuechen
Wang, Tian
Shayit, Agam
Liu, Jun
Sun, Dali
Li, Xiaosong
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Applied Physics
Chemical Physics
Chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) is a striking quantum phenomenon in which electron transport through chiral molecules leads to spin polarization -- even in the absence of external magnetic fields or magnetic components. Although observed in systems such as DNA, helicenes, proteins, and polymers, the fundamental physical origin of CISS remains unresolved. Here, we introduce a time-dependent relativistic four-current framework, in which charge and current densities evolve according to the time-dependent variational principle. Real-time relativistic four-current simulations enable direct analysis of helical currents and induced magnetization dynamics. Applied to helicenes -- axially chiral molecules lacking stereocenters -- our simulations reveal curvature-induced helical electron currents that generate spontaneous magnetic fields aligned along the molecular axis. These fields are handedness-dependent and reach magnitudes of $10^{-1}$ Tesla per single helicene strand. Our results suggest that CISS may arise from intrinsic, relativistic curvature-induced helical currents and the associated magnetic fields within chiral molecules. This four-current mechanism offers a self-contained explanation for the driving force underlying spin selectivity, independent of interfacial effects or unphysically enhanced spin-orbit coupling. Furthermore, our results provide a new perspective that offers a unifying framework with the potential to reconcile many existing hypotheses and theoretical models, while also suggesting several testable predictions that can be examined experimentally.
title Chirality-Driven Magnetization Emerges from Relativistic Four-Current Dynamics
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Applied Physics
Chemical Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.03781