MPS-Ascend: Rigid Oxo Ligands to Control the Next Generation of f-Element Molecular Spin Centers

该奖项全部或部分由《2021年美国救援计划法案》（公法117-2）资助。Mikaela Pyrch被授予NSF数学和物理科学提升博士后研究奖学金（NSF MPS-Ascend），以开展一项与扩大STEM中代表性不足群体参与相关的研究和活动计划。该奖学金授予Pyrch博士，以支持MPS-Ascend研究项目：“控制下一代f元素分子自旋中心的刚性氧合配体”，该项目由一位赞助科学家指导。该奖学金的主办机构是加州大学伯克利分校，赞助科学家是波莉·阿诺德博士。提出的工作旨在确定刚性、供氧、轴向配体的身份如何通过稳定地面水平影响Er（III）阳离子的电子、磁性和光学性质。工作的目的包括鉴定刚性，高度对称，轴向配体，以稳定最低自旋轨道耦合态，使用线性锕基阳离子作为氧供体配体；评价配位环境对Er配合物磁性能的影响；并评价配位环境对铒中心光学性质的影响。这项工作的成功实施将增加对长镧系元素中自旋声子和自旋弛豫过程的理解。这项工作的实施将提供在小学阶段与历史上被排斥的少数群体合作的机会。晶体生长等项目将提供动手合成化学的介绍，这将促进批判性思维，并将观察与化学基础联系起来。这些活动有可能为学生发展成为未来的科学家提供基础。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). Mikaela Pyrch is awarded a NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (NSF MPS-Ascend) to conduct a program of research and activities related to broaden participation by groups underrepresented in STEM. This fellowship to Dr. Pyrch supports the research project entitled MPS-Ascend: "Rigid Oxo Ligands to Control the Next Generation of f-Element Molecular Spin Centers.", under the mentorship of a sponsoring scientist. The host institution for the fellowship is the University of California Berkeley, and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Polly Arnold. The proposed work intends to determine how the identity of rigid, oxygen donating, axial ligands influence the electronic, magnetic, and optical properties of the Er(III) cation through stabilization of ground levels. Objectives of the work include identification of rigid, highly symmetric, axial ligands to stabilize the lowest spin orbital coupled state using linear actinyl cations as oxygen donor ligands; assessment of the impact of the coordination environment on magnetic properties within Er complexes; and to evaluate the role of the coordination environment on the optical properties of the Er center. Successful implementation of the work will increase the understanding of spin-phonon and spin-spin relaxation processes in prolate lathanides. Implementation of this work will provide the opportunity to work with historically excluded minority groups at the grade school level. Projects such as crystal growth will provide hands-on introduction to synthetic chemistry which will promote critical thinking and connect observations to chemistry fundamentals. These activities have the potential to provide a foundation for students to develop into future scientists.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.