Single spin localization and manipulation in graphene open-shell nanostructures

Abstract

Turning graphene magnetic is a promising challenge to make it an active material for spintronics. Predictions state that graphene structures with specific shapes can spontaneously develop magnetism driven by Coulomb repulsion of π-electrons, but its experimental verification is demanding. Here, we report on the observation and manipulation of individual magnetic moments in graphene open-shell nanostructures on a gold surface. Using scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we detect the presence of single electron spins localized around certain zigzag sites of the carbon backbone via the Kondo effect. We find near-by spins coupled into a singlet ground state and quantify their exchange interaction via singlet-triplet inelastic electron excitations. Theoretical simulations picture how electron correlations result in spin-polarized radical states with the experimentally observed spatial distributions. Extra hydrogen atoms bound to radical sites quench their magnetic moment and switch the spin of the nanostructure in half-integer amounts. Our work demonstrates the intrinsic π-paramagnetism of graphene nanostructures ; We acknowledge financial support from Spanish AEI (MAT2016-78293-C6, FIS2017-83780-P, and the Maria de Maeztu Units of Excellence Program MDM-2016-0618), the Basque Government (Department of Education, Grant PI-2015-1-42), the EU project PAMS (610446), the Xunta de Galicia (Centro singular de investigación de Galicia accreditation 2016-2019, ED431G/09), and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) ; SI