Engineering 2D spin networks by on-surface encapsulation of azafullerene radicals in nanotemplatesKladnik, Gregor (Avtor) Bavdek, Gregor (Avtor) Arčon, Denis (Avtor) Cvetko, Dean (Avtor) physical chemistryelectron transferelectronic properties and materialselectronic structure of atoms and moleculesqubitsspintronicsWe present an efficient strategy for on-surface engineering of organic metal-free supramolecular complexes with long-term spin protection. By vacuum deposition of azafullerene (C$_{59}$N$^•$) monomers on a pre-deposited template layer of [10]cycloparaphenylene ([10]CPP) nanohoops on Au(111) surface we exploit the molecular shape matching between the C$_{59}$N$^•$ and [10]CPP for the azafullerene encapsulation with nanohoops in a guest-host complexation geometry. C$_{59}$N$^•$$\subset$[10]CPP supramolecular complexes self-assemble into an extended two-dimensional hexagonal lattice yielding a high density network of stable spin-1/2 radicals. We find compelling evidence for electronic coupling between the guest C$_{59}$N$^•$ and the host [10]CPP in supramolecular species. At the same time, [10]CPP effectively protects the radical state of encapsulated azafullerenes against dimerization and inhibits C$_{59}$N$^•$ coupling to the Au substrate. Azafullerene encapsulation by nanohoops represents a viable realization of molecular spin protection while simultaneously demonstrating exceptional self-assembling properties by which large-scale 2D architectures of molecular spins can be realized.20252025-01-08 15:35:38Članek v reviji166363UDK: 544ISSN pri članku: 2041-1723DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55521-2COBISS_ID: 221416707sl