Controlling spins in adsorbed molecules by a chemical switch.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 20975713.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/ncomms1057 and PMC identifier 2964454.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-ND.
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Abstract
The development of chemical systems with switchable molecular spins could lead to the architecture of materials with controllable magnetic or spintronic properties. Here, we present conclusive evidence that the spin of an organometallic molecule coupled to a ferromagnetic substrate can be switched between magnetic off and on states by a chemical stimulus. This is achieved by nitric oxide (NO) functioning as an axial ligand of cobalt(II)tetraphenylporphyrin (CoTPP) ferromagnetically coupled to nickel thin-film (Ni(001)). On NO addition, the coordination sphere of Co(2+) is modified and a NO-CoTPP nitrosyl complex is formed, which corresponds to an off state of the Co spin. Thermal dissociation of NO from the nitrosyl complex restores the on state of the Co spin. The NO-induced reversible off-on switching of surface-adsorbed molecular spins observed here is attributed to a spin trans effect.