Edoardo Apra

A new class of organic molecular magnets

Using detailed first principles calculations, we have found a new class of stable organic molecular magnets based on zwitterionic molecules possessing donor, $π$ bridge, and acceptor groups. These molecules are organic molecules containing only C, H and N. The quantum mechanical nature of the magnetic properties originates from the conjugated $π$ bridge (involving only p electrons) where the exchange interactions between electron spin are relatively strong and local and are independent of the length of the $π$ bridge, enabling the easy construction of a molecular magnetic device with specified length.