Single Spin Localization and Manipulation in Graphene Open-Shell Nanostructures

Abstract

Predictions state that graphene can spontaneously develop magnetism from the Coulomb repulsion of its $\pi$-electrons, but its experimental verification has been a challenge. Here, we report on the observation and manipulation of individual magnetic moments localized in graphene nanostructures on a Au(111) surface. Using scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we detected the presence of single electron spins localized around certain zigzag sites of the carbon backbone via the Kondo effect. Two near-by spins were found coupled into a singlet ground state, and the strength of their exchange interaction was measured via singlet-triplet inelastic tunnel electron excitations. Theoretical simulations demonstrate that electron correlations result in spin-polarized radical states with the experimentally observed spatial distributions. Hydrogen atoms bound to these radical sites quench their magnetic moment, permitting us to switch the spin of the nanostructure using the tip of the microscope.

arXiv comment5 Figures, includes Supplementary Information

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Cited by in corpus (54)

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• On-surface synthesis and collective spin excitations of a triangulene-based nanostar
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• Coupled spin states in armchair graphene nanoribbons with asymmetric zigzag edge extensions
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• Synthesis and characterization of super-nonazethrene
• On-Surface Synthesis and Characterization of a High-Spin Aza-[5]-Triangulene
• Addressing electron spins embedded in metallic graphene nanoribbons
• Renormalization of spin excitations and Kondo effect in open shell nanographenes
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• Fabrication of Spin-1/2 Heisenberg Antiferromagnetic Chains via Combined On-surface Synthesis and Reduction for Spinon Detection
• Transferring Axial Molecular Chirality Through a Sequence of On-Surface Reactions
• Hydrogen Atoms on Zigzag Graphene Nanoribbons: Chemistry and Magnetism Meet at the Edge
• An efficient method for strongly correlated electrons in two-dimensions
• Probing local moments in nanographenes with electron tunneling spectroscopy
• Imprinting Tunable $\pi$-Magnetism in Graphene Nanoribbons via Edge Extensions
• Tuning the Spin Interaction in Non-planar Organic Diradicals Through Mechanical Manipulation
• Observation of biradical spin coupling through hydrogen bonds
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• Electronic Decoupling of Polyacenes from the Underlying Metal Substrate by sp3 Carbon Atoms
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• Theoretical model for multi-orbital Kondo screening in strongly correlated molecules with several unpaired electrons
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• Quantum phase transition in magnetic nanographenes on a lead superconductor
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• Systematic Modulation of Charge and Spin in Graphene Nanoribbons on MgO
• Shaping graphene superconductivity with nanometer precision
• From Solution to Surface: Persistence of the Diradical Character of a Diindenoanthracene Derivative on a Metallic Substrate
• Jahn-Teller-like Distortion in a One-dimensional π-Conjugated Polymer
• Hyperfine interactions in open-shell planar $s{p}^2$-carbon nanostructures
• Spin-polarizing electron beam splitter from crossed graphene nanoribbons
• Potential-tuned magnetic switches and half-metallicity transition in zigzag graphene nanoribbons
• Two topological phases in exchange alternating spin-1 nanographene chains
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