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Single molecule magnets (SMMs) have attracted considerable attention due to low-temperature magnetic hysteresis and fascinating quantum effects. The investigation of these properties requires the possibility to deposit well-defined monolayers or spatially isolated molecules within a well-controlled adsorption geometry.

Here we present a successful fabrication of self-organized arrays of Fe₄ SMMs on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) on Rh(111) as template. Using a rational design of the ligand shell optimized for surface assembly and electrospray as a gentle deposition method, we demonstrate how to obtain ordered arrays of molecules forming perfect hexagonal superlattices of tunable size, from small islands to an almost perfect monolayer. High-resolution low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) reveals that the Fe4 molecule adsorbs on the substrate in a flat geometry, meaning that its magnetic easy axis is perpendicular to the surface. By scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we infer that the majority- and minority-spin components of the spin-split lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) can be addressed separately on a submolecular level.

P. Erler, P. Schmitt, N. Barth, A. Irmler, S. Bouvron, T. Huhn, U. Groth, F. Pauly, L. Gragnaniello, and M. Fonin
Highly Ordered Surface Self-Assembly of Fe₄ Single Molecule Magnets
Nano Letters, Article ASAP (2015) -DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b01120
Publication Date (Web): June 18, 2015