Largest magnetic anisotropy of a molecule measured at BESSY II
Using THz-EPR, a special spectroscopy method at BESSY II, magnetic properties of materials can be determined very precisely
At the Berlin synchrotron radiation source BESSY II, the largest magnetic anisotropy of a single molecule ever measured experimentally has been determined. The larger this anisotropy is, the better a molecule is suited as a molecular nanomagnet. Such nanomagnets have a wide range of potential applications, for example, in energy-efficient data storage. Researchers from the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung (MPI KOFO), the Joint Lab EPR4Energy of the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (MPI CEC) and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin were involved in the study.
The research involved a bismuth complex synthesized in the group of Josep Cornella (MPI KOFO). This molecule has unique magnetic properties that a team led by Frank Neese (MPI KOFO) recently predicted in theoretical studies. So far, however, all attempts to measure the magnetic properties of the bismuth complex and thus experimentally confirm the theoretical predictions have failed.
This important step has now been achieved by using THz electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (THz-EPR) at the synchrotron radiation source BESSY II, which is operated by the HZB in Berlin.
“The results show in a fascinating way that our method can be used to determine extremely high values of the magnetic anisotropy with high accuracy. Through our cooperation with scientists from fundamental research, we are thereby making a great step forward in the understanding of this class of materials,” says Tarek Al Said (HZB), first author of the study, which was recently published in the renowned Journal of the American Chemical Society.
More information on the THz-EPR at BESSY II
Publication:
Journal of the American Chemical Society (2024):
Direct Determination of a Giant Zero-Field Splitting of 5422 cm–1 in a Triplet Organobismuthinidene by Infrared Electron Paramagnetic Resonance
Tarek Al Said, Davide Spinnato, Karsten Holldack, Frank Neese, Josep Cornella, Alexander Schnegg
DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c14795
Contact:
Dr. rer. nat. Tarek Al Said
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
Department Spins in Energy Conversion and Quantum Information Science
+49 30 8062-13114
tarek.al_said(at)helmholtz-berlin.de
Press release HZB, 21 December 2024