This Phase I CCI will explore promising molecular materials for spintronics: diamagnetic metal complexes of phthalocyanines, bistable paramagnetic molecules, and semiconducting oligomers. The highly integrated research program will include synthesis and characterization, detailed surface structure and bonding studies, spin injection and transport measurements, and computational modeling. The initial goals of the interdisciplinary team of researchers are to elucidate the structure-spintronic property relationships of paramagnetic complexes and also to study how the electronic structure and magneto-electronic structures of these molecules are influenced by integration into solid state environments.
The Center for Molecular Spintronics will develop new coursework in the emerging field of molecular spintronics. Students and postdoctoral researchers trained in this interdisciplinary (chemistry, physics, materials science) environment will be prepared to be scientific leaders in this field. The Center for Molecular Spintronics will partner with the local and regional companies to ensure that this science can be incorporated into the next generation of molecular electronics and nanotechnology innovations.
The Centers for Chemical Innovation (CCI) Program supports research centers that can address major, long-term fundamental chemical research challenges that have a high probability of both producing transformative research and leading to innovation. These Centers will attract broad scientific and public interest by sharing the results of their innovative approach to this challenging question.
The Center for Molecular Spintronics was a team of education, chemistry, physics and engineering specialists from NC State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying the potential use of molecules having "switchable" properties as components of revolutionary electronic devices (referred to by scientists as "molecular spintronics"). Generally, spintronics is a branch of electronics that makes use of the magnetic properties of electrons (in addition to their charge) to control current flow in electronic devices. The most common (and in effect the only) spintronic device appearing broadly in commercial products is the read-write head in the magnetic hard drive of computers. Generalizing spintronic devices is a major research goal world-wide. "Molecular" spintronic devices offer lower power consumption, smaller size, faster operation, novel device properties and less heat build-up. Research supported by the National Science Foundation must address both Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts. The Intellectual Merit of the Center research is summarized in our published reports demonstrating (1) the utility of a unique class of molecules at differentiating current flow based on the "magnetism" of the current; (2) the changes in a molecule’s properties due to attaching them to surfaces (and how this fact requires specific new research); (3) the design and utility of a variety of rudimentary device architectures; (4) the use of light to actuate molecule-based devices; (5) the theory necessary for understanding the relationship between a molecule’s structure and its role in device operation. These findings were shared with the world-wide scientific community as 16 manuscripts in peer-reviewed scientific journals and in dozens of invited and contributed talks at professional meetings in the United States and in Europe. The Center was also involved in a number of education and outreach projects that address Broader Impacts. These included the formation of a magnetism and magnetic materials course taught to over 20 graduate students each year, participation in NC State’s "NanoDays" (the NanoDays event at NC State provides talks, laboratory tours and demonstrations for over 2000 students, teachers and parents from schools and communities from across North Carolina), giving talks at public events and hosting summer researchers from Shaw University (an historically Black College/University in Raleigh, North Carolina). In addition to the Center’s outreach and classroom endeavors, the graduate and undergraduate students involved in the research were exposed to true interdisciplinary research thus providing a unique, rewarding educational and professional development experience. Chemistry students normally involved with chemical synthesis were exposed to device fabrication and related measurements and vice versa.
