Magneto-optical investigations of nanostructured materials based on single-molecule magnets monitor strong environmental effects

Nanostructured materials were investigated and synthesized by using high-sensitivity instrumentation, based on magneto-optical techniques on a variety of materials. Single-molecule magnets (SMM) that display magnetic hysteresis of dynamical origin at low temperature, were used to monitor strong environmental effects during the magneto-optical investigation. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was used to rule out the formation of smaller aggregates, down to nanometer scale. Results have clearly indicated that control of the environment was important for the development of SMM-based devices. The properties of the clusters were altered by the non-crystalline surroundings, while the dynamic magnetic behavior of the SMMs was not significantly altered by the chosen peripheral ligands. The high sensitivity and high stability achieved in the MO experimental setup have allowed the probing of the behavior of SMMs on surfaces and at high dilutions.