In order to study the properties and functionalities of lanthanides at the nanoscale, the project focuses on the design and study of three distinct nanomaterials embedding lanthanide elements: metal-organic networks, metalated porphyrinoids and molecular species containing rare-earths.
To this aim, we rely on a powerful instrumentation based on surface science techniques. First, we have designed and deployed a state-of-the-art low-temperature nc-AFM-STM.
Work Package 1, the core of the project, has been developed successfully with the engineering of unique lanthanide metal-organic networks both on metals and on sp2-materials (graphene). On the one hand, concerning lanthanides, we are currently growing distinct networks on graphene, which are being rationalized and prepared for publication. We have also paid attention to multinuclear systems, revealing that we can tailor the energy level alignment and magnetic anisotropy on binuclear lanthanide architectures. Furthermore, we have revealed that we can engineer lanthanide-directed metallosupramolecular single molecule magnets (metallocenes). On the other hand, regarding 3d elements to compare their behaviour to the one with lanthanides and understand complex phases of matter, we have paid a lot of attention in cobalt-directed nanoarchitectures, pioneering novel antiferromagnetic materials and displaying how to tune the magnetic anisotropy by changing the coordination number.
In Work Package 2 we have focused on porphyrin-based nanoarchitectures. We have successfully sublimated expanded porphyrins and pioneered the field. We have also discovered a way to promote on-surface formation of porphyrin tapes while trying to metallate tetrapyrroles with lanthanides, opening for the first time the fascinating topic of hybrid metal-organic/covalent nanoarchitectures, which is a new and unexpected research areas of lanthanides by itself. In addition, following our discovery about the capabilities of the =CBr2 functional group for on-surface synthesis, we have developed unique molecular wires for molecular electronics.
In Work Package 3, centered on tip-induced electroluminescence, so far no luminescence from lanthanides could be measured, thus precluding any result for such workpackage, though leading us to the use of other substrates in future years.
Finally, we have implemented a device STM , targeted to explore the properties of lanthanide nanomaterials, while gating them on devices, though such research will be explored in future research.
The dissemination of the project has been highly successful producing very high quality impact articles (>10) and presenting them in leading scientific conferences.
Regarding outreach, thanks to the project we have participated in the Nanocar Race II, being eventually crowned the winners. Subsequently, we have promoted our research through distinct initiatives including the design of a videogame for internet. Motivated by the interest of such outreach project, Quantum Fracture (the leader of Science Communication in the Spanish language) has promoted a video about the Nanocar Race II, which now has been visited by 250,000 viewers.
In summary, the project has advanced the knowledge of the chemical, electronic and magnetic properties of lanthanide-based nanomaterials, anticipating fascinating discoveries in the near and mid-term future.
