Engineering 2D spin networks by on-surface encapsulation of azafullerene radicals in nanotemplates

Kladnik, Gregor (author), Bavdek, Gregor (author), Arčon, Denis (author), Cvetko, Dean (author)

We 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.

• Language: English
• Keywords: physical chemistry, electron transfer, electronic properties and materials, electronic structure of atoms and molecules, qubits, spintronics
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics; PEF - Faculty of Education
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 16, art. 193
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-166363
• UDC: 544
• ISSN on article: 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55521-2
• COBISS.SI-ID: 221416707
• Publication date in RUL: 08.01.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Nature communications
• Shortened title: Nat. commun.
• Publisher: Springer Nature
• ISSN: 2041-1723
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2315876

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: fizikalna kemija