Single-molecule magnets have intriguing potential applications in areas such as magnetic refrigeration, molecular spintronics and high-density information storage. For these applications, however, key performance characteristics such as large spin-relaxation barriers and high magnetic blocking temperatures are required. Lanthanides have been proven to be particularly well-suited for the design of single-molecule magnets owing to their large magnetic moments and magnetic anisotropy that stem from strong spin-orbit coupling of the 4f orbitals. By using lanthanide ions such as Tb3+, Dy3+, and Er3+ which possess intrinsically large orbital angular momentum, significantly higher barriers and blocking temperatures can be achieved. A general methodology to enhance single-molecule magnet properties in mononuclear lanthanide complexes comprises matching the ligand field symmetry with the anisotropic electron density distribution of the maximal MJ state. Employing this methodology, we will present the synthesis of mononuclear rare-earth metallocene complexes that function as new lanthanide-based single-molecule magnets. Another particularly successful approach to improve blocking temperatures is to generate strong magnetic exchange coupling between lanthanide centers through the employment of radical bridging ligands. If the magnetic exchange coupling is large enough then quantum tunneling of the magnetization can be attenuated. Here, we will present further the synthesis of radical-containing lanthanide-based single-molecule magnets.

Magnetic blocking and coercivity in lanthanide single-molecule magnets

2019 Spring National Meeting

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