Impact of Cooperativity on the Spatial and Temporal Evolution of the Light-induced Spin-State Switching of the Fe(phen)$_2$(SCN)$_2$ Spin-Crossover Complex

Fuente: arXiv
Salvato in:
Dettagli Bibliografici
Autori principali: Viswanatha, Chetana Badala, Stöckl, Johannes, Arnoldi, Benito, Knippertz, Johannes, Haag, Florian, Paulsen, Hauke, Wolny, Juliusz A., Aeschlimann, Martin, Schünemann, Volker, Stadtmüller, Benjamin
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
Soggetti:
Accesso online:
Tags: Aggiungi Tag
Nessun Tag, puoi essere il primo ad aggiungerne!!
_version_ 1866913742663450624
author Viswanatha, Chetana Badala
Stöckl, Johannes
Arnoldi, Benito
Knippertz, Johannes
Haag, Florian
Paulsen, Hauke
Wolny, Juliusz A.
Aeschlimann, Martin
Schünemann, Volker
Stadtmüller, Benjamin
author_facet Viswanatha, Chetana Badala
Stöckl, Johannes
Arnoldi, Benito
Knippertz, Johannes
Haag, Florian
Paulsen, Hauke
Wolny, Juliusz A.
Aeschlimann, Martin
Schünemann, Volker
Stadtmüller, Benjamin
contents Spin crossover (SCO) complexes are highly flexible bistable molecular switches with two distinct spin states that can be switched into each other by external stimuli such as temperature, pressure, or light. In the condensed phase, this spin switching phenomenon is determined not only by the chemical and structural properties of the SCO compound but also by intermolecular interactions within the SCO material and their coupling to surfaces. These interactions lead to cooperative effects in the spin switching behavior that are, for instance, reflected in the thermal hysteresis of the spin switching or determine the speed of the thermal and optical spin transition within a thin film of SCO complexes. In this study, we shed new light on the cooperativity-driven spatial and temporal dynamics of the collective light-induced spin switching of thin SCO films on a gold single crystal. We quantify the spatial and temporal dynamics of the transition between the low-spin and high-spin light-induced excited spin state trapping (LIESST) states of the Fe(phen)$_2$(SCN)$_2$ compound. Using real-time photoemission electron microscopy with millisecond time resolution, we uncover spectroscopic signatures of the light-induced spin state switching to the LIESST state even $200\, μ$m outside the spot of direct optical excitation. This observation is identical for both continuous wave and femtosecond laser light excitations in the visible spectral range. The timescale of the spin-switching dynamics is indicative of a photothermal process in which molecules far from the laser spot relax back to the low-spin ground state faster than those within the directly illuminated region. All of these observations highlight the crucial role of cooperative interactions in the spin state switching of the SCO thin film.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_13918
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Impact of Cooperativity on the Spatial and Temporal Evolution of the Light-induced Spin-State Switching of the Fe(phen)$_2$(SCN)$_2$ Spin-Crossover Complex
Viswanatha, Chetana Badala
Stöckl, Johannes
Arnoldi, Benito
Knippertz, Johannes
Haag, Florian
Paulsen, Hauke
Wolny, Juliusz A.
Aeschlimann, Martin
Schünemann, Volker
Stadtmüller, Benjamin
Materials Science
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Spin crossover (SCO) complexes are highly flexible bistable molecular switches with two distinct spin states that can be switched into each other by external stimuli such as temperature, pressure, or light. In the condensed phase, this spin switching phenomenon is determined not only by the chemical and structural properties of the SCO compound but also by intermolecular interactions within the SCO material and their coupling to surfaces. These interactions lead to cooperative effects in the spin switching behavior that are, for instance, reflected in the thermal hysteresis of the spin switching or determine the speed of the thermal and optical spin transition within a thin film of SCO complexes. In this study, we shed new light on the cooperativity-driven spatial and temporal dynamics of the collective light-induced spin switching of thin SCO films on a gold single crystal. We quantify the spatial and temporal dynamics of the transition between the low-spin and high-spin light-induced excited spin state trapping (LIESST) states of the Fe(phen)$_2$(SCN)$_2$ compound. Using real-time photoemission electron microscopy with millisecond time resolution, we uncover spectroscopic signatures of the light-induced spin state switching to the LIESST state even $200\, μ$m outside the spot of direct optical excitation. This observation is identical for both continuous wave and femtosecond laser light excitations in the visible spectral range. The timescale of the spin-switching dynamics is indicative of a photothermal process in which molecules far from the laser spot relax back to the low-spin ground state faster than those within the directly illuminated region. All of these observations highlight the crucial role of cooperative interactions in the spin state switching of the SCO thin film.
title Impact of Cooperativity on the Spatial and Temporal Evolution of the Light-induced Spin-State Switching of the Fe(phen)$_2$(SCN)$_2$ Spin-Crossover Complex
topic Materials Science
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.13918