Project description
Understanding spin behaviour on surfaces for quantum technologies
Magnetic devices are becoming increasingly necessary for many advanced solutions, including quantum and molecular quantum devices. Despite progress in developing design principles for long-lived molecular magnets, a key challenge remains: the assembly of these magnets into spin lattices via surface deposition and addressing their magnetic behaviour at the single-molecule level. Unfortunately, we lack the theoretical tools to achieve this. The ERC-funded SPINOCCHIO project aims to expand our understanding of static and dynamic behaviours of spins on surfaces and surface spin arrays. To achieve this, it will develop novel quantum chemical approaches combining coarse-grained treatments of strong correlation with periodic quantum embedding to investigate key effects and processes.
Objective
Molecules and atoms with unpaired electrons exhibit a net magnetic moment and serve as the building blocks of molecular quantum devices for next-generation technologies. As the design principles for long-lived molecular magnets become clearer, the next challenge is assembling these units into spin lattices via surface deposition and addressing their magnetic behavior at the single-molecule level. Advancing molecular quantum technologies requires understanding the electronic structure and magnetic properties of these building blocks and their interactions with the environment; thus, it depends on quantum chemical calculations. However, our current theoretical toolkit for molecular magnetic materials is inadequate. Density functional theory fails to capture strong correlation, while wave function-based methods are computationally prohibitive for strongly-correlated materials. SPINOCCHIO aims to change this and advance our understanding of the static and dynamic behavior of spins on surfaces and surface spin arrays. These systems, which represent real molecular quantum devices comprising hundreds of atoms and multiple magnetic centers, pose a huge dilemma in quantum chemistry between system size and complexity. To overcome this challenge, we will develop a new quantum chemical approach that combines periodic quantum embedding with a coarse-grained treatment of strong correlation. Equipped with these new tools, we will investigate how the surface affects the magnetic behavior and spin relaxation of the magnetic adsorbate. Moreover, we will explore all light-induced phenomena key to the optical control of individual spins. This newly gained knowledge will guide the design of magnetically stable and optically addressable spins on surfaces, bringing molecular quantum technologies to fruition.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-STG
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3000 LEUVEN
Belgium
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