The Role of Rare-Earth Atoms in the Anisotropy and Antiferromagnetic Exchange Coupling at a Hybrid Metal–Organic Interface
Journal article, 2024

Magnetic anisotropy and magnetic exchange interactions are crucial parameters that characterize the hybrid metal–organic interface, a key component of an organic spintronic device. It is shown that the incorporation of 4f RE atoms to hybrid metal–organic interfaces of CuPc/REAu2 type (RE = Gd, Ho) constitutes a feasible approach toward on-demand magnetic properties and functionalities. The GdAu2 and HoAu2 substrates differ in their magnetic anisotropy behavior. Remarkably, the HoAu2 surface promotes the inherent out-of-plane anisotropy of CuPc, owing to the match between the anisotropy axis of substrate and molecule. Furthermore, the presence of RE atoms leads to a spontaneous antiferromagnetic exchange coupling at the interface, induced by the 3d–4f superexchange interaction between the unpaired 3d electron of CuPc and the 4f electrons of the RE atoms. It is shown that 4f RE atoms with unquenched quantum orbital momentum ((Formula presented.)), as it is the case of Ho, induce an anisotropic interfacial exchange coupling.

hybrid metal-organic interfaces

AFM exchange coupling

rare-earths

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy

magnetic anisotropy

Author

M. Blanco-Rey

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)

Donostia International Physics Center

Rodrigo Castrillo

Donostia International Physics Center

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

Khadiza Ali

Donostia International Physics Center

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Quantum Device Physics

Pierluigi Gargiani

ALBA Synchrotron Light Facility

M. Ilyn

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

Michele Gastaldo

Institut Catala de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia

Czech Academy of Sciences

Markos Paradinas

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

Institut Catala de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia

Miguel A. Valbuena

IMDEA Institute

Institut Catala de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia

Aitor Mugarza

Institut Catala de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia

Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies

J. Enrique Ortega

University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)

Donostia International Physics Center

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

F. Schiller

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

L. Fernandez

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

CIC nanoGUNE

Small

1613-6810 (ISSN) 1613-6829 (eISSN)

Vol. 20 45 2402328

Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)

Condensed Matter Physics

DOI

10.1002/smll.202402328

More information

Latest update

1/7/2026 1