2 research outputs found
XAS and XMCD Investigation of Mn12 Monolayers on Gold
No full textThe deposition of Mn12 single-molecule magnets on gold surfaces was studied for the first time using combined X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) methods at low temperature. The ability of the proposedapproach to probe the electronic structure and magnetism of Mn12 complexes without significant sample damage was successfully checked on bulk samples. Detailed information on the oxidation state and magnetic polarization of manganese ions in the adsorbates was obtained from XAS and XMCD spectra,respectively. Partial reduction of metal ions to MnII was clearly observed upon deposition on Au(111) of two different Mn12 derivatives bearing 16-acetylthio-hexadecanoate and 4-(methylthio)benzoate ligands. The average oxidationstate, as well as the relative proportions of MnII, MnIII and MnIV species, are strongly influenced by the deposition protocol. Furthermore, the local magnetic polarizations are significantlydecreased as compared with bulk Mn12 samples. The results highlight an utmost redox instability of Mn12 complexes at gold surfaces, presumably accompanied by structural rearrangements,which cannot be easily revealed by standard surface analysisbased on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy
X-Ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism Picks out Single-Molecule Magnets Suitable for Nanodevices
No full textInternational audienceThe surface sensitivity of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism in extreme conditions is exploited to investigate the first layers of bulk single-molecule magnets (SMM). Striking differences emerge between two classes of SMM with different structural constraints, thus highlighting the importance of molecular design in the realization of molecular spintronic device
