Periodic Reporting for period 4 - TSuNAMI (Trans-Spin NanoArchitectures: from birth to functionalities in magnetic field)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-08-01 al 2022-07-31
Electronic degrees of freedom offer a fascinating playground for control over any system composed of electrons. The most famous internal degree of freedom is the spin, and spin-related phenomena underline various principles employed in fundamental and applied fields of science nowadays.
In a broader context, the spin is understood as a unique entity, responsive to external stimuli by classical or quantum means. The smallest spin unit is represented by a single atom with unpaired electrons, which can be embedded in a molecule. A standalone unit of one or a few magnetic atoms is known as Single Molecule Magnet (SMM), and a single giant molecular spin represents its magnetic properties. Leaving the quantum limit behind and moving to systems condensed of thousands of spins, reacting in unison within classical concepts, we reach the so-called single-domain state characterized by a giant classical spin, superspin. Electrons in some two-dimensional (2D) crystals also show a kind of binary behavior, which refer to degenerate extrema in reciprocal space, known as valleys.
Interaction and cooperation between the different spin entities are essential for practical purposes. For example, the communication of quantum spins of magnetic molecules is behind some quantum computing concepts. In the classical limit, interactions between giant spins (superspins) control the key mechanisms of cancer treatment and diagnostics employing magnetic nanoparticles.
The ultimate goal of the TSuNAMI projects is to prove that coexistence of different spin entities in a single material – a spin hybrid - brings new phenomena with high potential for innovative applications. The project aims to ‘crossbreed’ different spin units: magnetic molecules, magnetic nanoparticles, and two-dimensional pseudomagnets, and identify the promising properties gained thanks to the spin genetics strategy.
In a broader context, the spin is understood as a unique entity, responsive to external stimuli by classical or quantum means. The smallest spin unit is represented by a single atom with unpaired electrons, which can be embedded in a molecule. A standalone unit of one or a few magnetic atoms is known as Single Molecule Magnet (SMM), and a single giant molecular spin represents its magnetic properties. Leaving the quantum limit behind and moving to systems condensed of thousands of spins, reacting in unison within classical concepts, we reach the so-called single-domain state characterized by a giant classical spin, superspin. Electrons in some two-dimensional (2D) crystals also show a kind of binary behavior, which refer to degenerate extrema in reciprocal space, known as valleys.
Interaction and cooperation between the different spin entities are essential for practical purposes. For example, the communication of quantum spins of magnetic molecules is behind some quantum computing concepts. In the classical limit, interactions between giant spins (superspins) control the key mechanisms of cancer treatment and diagnostics employing magnetic nanoparticles.
The ultimate goal of the TSuNAMI projects is to prove that coexistence of different spin entities in a single material – a spin hybrid - brings new phenomena with high potential for innovative applications. The project aims to ‘crossbreed’ different spin units: magnetic molecules, magnetic nanoparticles, and two-dimensional pseudomagnets, and identify the promising properties gained thanks to the spin genetics strategy.
In summary, the TSuNAMI research team was appointed, two new laboratories for materials synthesis and cryomagnetic spectroscopies were built, key equipment was installed, and all types of the proposed spin hybrid systems were synthesized.
There are several noteworthy results achieved within the project, so far summarized in 14 publications.
We invented a ‘magnetic click chemistry’ concept, which enables thermally reversible coupling – decoupling of nanomagnets assembled in 1D, 2D, and 3D architectures in the magnetic field (Miksatko et al., Nanoscale 2019, 11, 16773). We also achieved control over the nanoscale sculpturing of two-dimensional crystals and their chemical functionalization with nanometer resolution (Drogowska et al., Carbon 2020; invited talk EMRS 2018, etc.). We also delivered the prototypes of spin hybrids with spatially and magnetically tunable optical responses, including superradiant emission (Golam et al., Adv. Funct. Mater 2021). We also built a unique operando cryomagnetic microscope, which enabled tracking the supercooling of water entrapped in a net of nanosized graphene wrinkles (Verhagen et al., ACS Nano 2020).
The project results have also been featured outside the scientific community, i.e. in the European Forum for Science, Research and Innovation (Dresden June 25, 2019), important national events (i.e. Celebration of 100 years of Czech Republic), and various press releases (Tema; Lidove noviny, Vesmir, Universitas, etc.; more details in https://www.tsunamigroup.eu/media/).
There are several noteworthy results achieved within the project, so far summarized in 14 publications.
We invented a ‘magnetic click chemistry’ concept, which enables thermally reversible coupling – decoupling of nanomagnets assembled in 1D, 2D, and 3D architectures in the magnetic field (Miksatko et al., Nanoscale 2019, 11, 16773). We also achieved control over the nanoscale sculpturing of two-dimensional crystals and their chemical functionalization with nanometer resolution (Drogowska et al., Carbon 2020; invited talk EMRS 2018, etc.). We also delivered the prototypes of spin hybrids with spatially and magnetically tunable optical responses, including superradiant emission (Golam et al., Adv. Funct. Mater 2021). We also built a unique operando cryomagnetic microscope, which enabled tracking the supercooling of water entrapped in a net of nanosized graphene wrinkles (Verhagen et al., ACS Nano 2020).
The project results have also been featured outside the scientific community, i.e. in the European Forum for Science, Research and Innovation (Dresden June 25, 2019), important national events (i.e. Celebration of 100 years of Czech Republic), and various press releases (Tema; Lidove noviny, Vesmir, Universitas, etc.; more details in https://www.tsunamigroup.eu/media/).
During the project progress, we identified a need for deeper understanding the processes taking place during magnetic heating of nanoparticles stimulated by high-frequency magnetic field. Beyond the state of the art, we decide to develop a system, which enables simultaneous monitoring of not only thermal but also chemical and structural changes of particles and molecules during the procedure. We expect that in next two years our system will be optimized for in vitro studies with potential of further adjustments for in vivo applications, which makes this technique extremely promising for direct observation of hyperthermic processes on the level of individual molecules.