Unraveling the mark of surface defects on a spinterface: The nitronyl nitroxide/TiO2(110) interface

What is it about?

"Classical magnets" are usually metals or rare earth alloys, purely organic-based magnets are permanent magnets with s or p magnetic orbitals, combining the typical characteristics of organic molecules, such as chemical flexibility, ease of preparation, and structural design, with magnetism. In this work, we shed light on the mechanisms occurring at the spinterface between the rutile TiO2(110) single crystal surface and a pyrene-based nitronyl nitroxide. This molecule carries an unpaired electron, and, thus, a magnetic moment. We explore the role of structural defects on an organic spin at the interface: when the molecules interact with a defect site upon adsorption, the reactivity of the defect leads to chemisorption of the molecule, quenching its magnetic moment.

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Why is it important?

It is the first time that the impact of surface defects on spins at the interface between organic and inorganic materials is investigated.