This nanographene differs markedly from traditional magnetic materials that rely on heavier metal atoms. Here, the properties emerge from the specific electron configurations in carbon atoms' p-orbitals. The team's precise nanoscale design of carbon atoms allows for unique control over these electron behaviors, making nanographene an exciting candidate for tiny magnets and quantum bits, or qubits, essential in quantum computing. Qubits operate faster and maintain their quantum states longer, thanks to carbon's inherent properties that limit decoherence.
The research, led by Associate Professor Lu Jiong and Professor Jishan Wu from NUS, with collaboration from international colleagues including Professor Pavel Jelinek and Dr. Libor Vei from the Czech Academy of Sciences, resulted in the creation of a large, fully-fused, butterfly-shaped magnetic nanographene. This structure features four rounded triangles that resemble butterfly wings, each containing an unpaired p-electron contributing to the material's magnetic qualities.
Associate Professor Lu noted, "This tiny molecule made of fused benzene rings offers significant promise for hosting quantum spins, a critical property for future quantum networks."
Their publication in Nature Chemistry describes the complex process of synthesizing this nanographene, starting from a novel molecule precursor developed through traditional in-solution chemistry methods. This precursor led to on-surface synthesis in a vacuum, a new approach that ensures precision in the final nanographene's shape and atomic structure.
One of the unique aspects of the butterfly nanographene is its mix of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic properties, achieved by arranging the p-electrons to create entangled spins. This arrangement was examined using an advanced scanning probe microscope technique, enhancing understanding of magnetic behaviors at the atomic level.
Looking forward, Associate Professor Lu is optimistic about the potential for these findings to advance quantum material research, aiming to measure and manipulate these spins at the single-molecule scale, which could revolutionize quantum computing power and storage capabilities.
Research Report:Highly-Entangled Polyradical Nanographene with Coexisting Strong Correlation and Topological Frustration
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National University of Singapore
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