Multiple Length Scale Patterning of Single-Molecule Magnets

Controlling materials on multiple length scales is one of the most compelling issues in nanotechnology research today. Here we demonstrate that arrays of nanometer-sized aggregates, each made of a few hundred single-molecule magnets derived from Mn12 complexes, can be patterned on large areas by self-organization assisted by stamps on a surface in a dewetting regime. The large length scale is imposed by the motif of the stamp protrusions, and the smaller length scales, viz., the size and distance of the molecular aggregates, are controlled by deposition and growth phenomena occurring in a volume confined beneath the protrusions by capillary forces. The method is general to a variety of molecular materials and substrates because repulsive, as opposed to specific, interactions are required. Our result hints at the possibility of sustainable patterning of single-molecule magnets for ultra-high-density magnetic storage and quantum computing.