Tuning magnetoresistance in molybdenum disulphide and graphene using a molecular spin transition

Coupling spins of molecular magnets to two-dimensional (2D) materials provides a framework to manipulate the magneto-conductance of 2D materials. However, with most molecules, the spin coupling is usually weak and devices fabricated from these require operation at low temperatures, which prevents practical applications. Here, we demonstrate field-effect transistors based on the coupling of a magnetic molecule quinoidal dithienyl perylenequinodimethane (QDTP) to 2D materials. Uniquely, QDTP switches from a spin-singlet state at low temperature to a spin-triplet state above 370 K, and the spin transition can be electrically transduced by both graphene and molybdenum disulphide. Graphene-QDTP shows hole-doping and a large positive magnetoresistance (similar to 50%), while molybdenum disulphide-QDTP demonstrates electron-doping and a switch to large negative magnetoresistance (similar to 100%) above the magnetic transition. Our work shows the promise of spin detection at high temperature by coupling 2D materials and molecular magnets.