arXiv · 2512.16194
Atomic-scale control of substrate-spin coupling via vertical manipulation of a 2D metal-organic framework
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) materials with frustrated crystal geometries can host strongly correlated electrons, potentially leading to a range of exotic many-body quantum phases such as Mott insulators, quantum spin-liquids, and Kondo lattices. The ability to control exchange-coupling within these systems is therefore highly desirable. Here, we use an atomically sharp scanning tunneling microscope probe to vertically manipulate a 2D Mott insulating kagome metal-organic framework (MOF) featuring Kondo-screened local magnetic moments on Ag(111). We show that by controlling the adsorption height of the MOF, we can also controllably and reversibly change the strength of Kondo coupling between the MOF's local spins and the substrate's conduction electrons. This mechanical control of Kondo coupling could be extended to other forms of interlayer exchange coupling, potentially allowing for atomic-scale design or control of spintronics technologies.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Benjamin Lowe, Bernard Field, Dhaneesh Kumar, Daniel Moreno Cerrada, Oleksandr Stetsovych, Julian Ceddia, Andrés Pinar Solé, Amelia Domínguez-Celorrio, Jack Hellerstedt, Sinéad M. Griffin, Pavel Jelínek, Agustin Schiffrin. 2025-12-18. Atomic-scale control of substrate-spin coupling via vertical manipulation of a 2D metal-organic framework. https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.16194
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.