In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (Link to Publication), the Transue Lab has uncovered new design principles for creating molecules that respond to light with a magnetic reaction—an effect known as optically induced magnetization (OIM). This discovery is a step toward using molecules as tiny magnets, which could one day play a key role in quantum technologies.
One of the challenges in developing molecular spin-based quantum devices is finding a reliable way to "initialize" or set their magnetic state. OIM offers a potential solution by using light to align a molecule’s magnetic direction. The researchers designed and synthesized a series of tungsten-based molecules that meet their proposed criteria and demonstrated that these molecules show a strong magnetic response when exposed to light.
In the accompanying photo, chemistry graduate student Ian E. Ramsier and Professor Transue are seen preparing a sample for testing in their newly built magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) instrument—an essential tool for measuring the magnetic effects reported in the study.
