SGER: Development of Single-Electron Transistors Based on Individual Single-Molecule Magnets

********非技术摘要********分子电子学正迅速成为材料科学中一个独立的研究领域。在短短几年内，许多令人兴奋的实验和理论结果出现在文献中。到目前为止，主要的工作是在碳基系统或各向同性分子上，其中传导电子和分子电子状态之间的相互作用有望控制未来分子电子设备的行为。在这种情况下，探索性研究（SGER）项目将研究使用一类特殊的磁性分子（称为单分子磁体）来构建分子晶体管的可能性，其中所使用的分子固有的量子磁性将增强和多样化未来分子器件的性能。该项目将专注于纳米级晶体管的产生，以探测单个分子纳米磁体的传输特性，并证明这些分子以晶体形式显示的量子特性在放置在晶体管上时是保留的。这些器件在超高密度集成和量子信息处理方面具有巨大的潜力。此外，由于单分子磁体对磁场的高灵敏度，它们也有可能用作磁探测器。一名研究生将在无机化学和物理的前沿领域接受培训，该环境将跨越这些学科的边界。在夏季的几个月里，研究经验将提供给当地的高中科学教师和他们最有前途的学生，作为PI小组正在进行的外展工作的一部分。********技术摘要********本探索性研究（SGER）小额资助项目旨在利用单电子晶体管（SET）器件研究单分子磁体（SMMs）的输运特性。smm具有大的总自旋和强的本征各向异性。在过去的十年里，人们以晶体形式对它们进行了广泛的研究。由于磁化的共振量子隧穿（QTM）， smm在低温下的磁化曲线呈阶梯状。smm的这种独特特性是分子高自旋态量子叠加的结果。然而，研究单个/分离的SMM的性质已被证明是困难的。该项目的最终目标是证明使用分子SET来研究单个SMM的局部高自旋态与三端SET中传导电子之间相互作用的可行性，具体目标是了解QTM对库仑封锁体系中输运的影响。将特别注意器件制造和分子的化学功能化，以防止SMM在放置在晶体管上时退化。SGER的直接目标是首次展示可重复制造基于SMM的SET的能力，使单个SMM保持其固态形式（即单晶）所观察到的特性，例如QTM。迄今为止，尽管世界各地的研究小组都在努力，但这种基于SMM的SET的制造并没有持续和可复制的成功。这种装置的成功制造将为研究单个SMM的输运和量子特性提供手段。研究生将在无机化学和物理的前沿领域接受训练，并在跨越这些学科边界的环境中学习。在夏季的几个月里，研究经验将提供给当地的高中科学教师和他们最有前途的学生，作为PI小组正在进行的外展工作的一部分。

********NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT********Molecular electronics is rapidly becoming a separate research field within Materials Science. In just a few years, many exciting experimental and theoretical results have appeared in the literature. The main effort so far has been on carbon-based systems or isotropic molecules, where the interplay between conduction electrons and the molecular electronic states is expected to govern the behavior of future molecular electronic devices. In this context, this Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) project will investigate the possibilities of using a special class of magnetic molecules, known as single-molecule magnets, to build molecular transistors in which the quantum magnetism intrinsic to the molecules employed will enhance and diversify the performance of future molecular devices. The project will focus in the generation of nanoscale transistors to probe the transport properties of individual molecular nanomagnets and to demonstrate that quantum properties shown by these molecules in their crystal form are preserved when placed on a transistor. These devices have great potential for ultra-high density integration and quantum information processing. Moreover, due to the high sensitivity of single-molecule magnets to magnetic fields, it is possible that they could also function as magnetic detectors. One graduate student will be trained in the frontiers of inorganic chemistry and physics within an environment that crosses the boundaries of these disciplines. In the summer months, research experience will be offered to local high school science teachers and their most promising students, as part as the ongoing outreach effort of the PI's group.********TECHNICAL ABSTRACT********This Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) project aims to investigate the transport properties of single-molecule magnets (SMMs) using single-electron transistor (SET) devices. SMMs are characterized by a large total spin and a strong intrinsic anisotropy. They have been extensively studied in crystalline form during the last ten years. SMMs exhibit steps in the magnetization curves at low temperature attributed to resonant quantum tunneling of the magnetization (QTM). This unique feature of SMMs is a consequence of the quantum superposition of high-spin states of the molecule. However, it has proven difficult to study the properties of an individual/isolated SMM. The ultimate goal of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of using molecular SETs for the study of the interplay between localized high-spin states of an individual SMM and conduction electrons in a three terminal SET, with the specific objective to understand the effect of QTM on transport in the Coulomb blockade regime. Special attention will be placed on device fabrication and chemical functionalization of the molecules to prevent the SMM from degradation when placed on the transistor. The immediate goal of the SGER is to demonstrate for the first time the ability to reproducibly fabricate a SMM based SET in such a manner that the individual SMM maintains the characteristics observed in its solid state form (i.e. single crystal), such as QTM. To date, despite the efforts of research groups worldwide, fabrication of such an SMM based SET has not been consistently and reproducibly successful. The successful fabrication of such a device would provide the means to study the transport and quantum properties of an individual SMM. A graduate student will be trained in the frontiers of inorganic chemistry and physics within an environment that crosses the boundaries of these disciplines. In the summer months, research experience will be offered to local high school science teachers and their most promising students, as part as the ongoing outreach effort of the PI's group.