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Single rare-earth atoms and metallo-organic molecules such as the RE-Pc2, where a rare-earth atom is sandwiched between two phthalocyanine molecules (Pc), are good candidates for the realization of single-ion magnets that represent the ultimate limit of downsizing magnetic memories. The recent observations of extremely long spin relaxation times at 10 K for a Ho atom on MgO/Ag(100), and of the opening of the hysteresis loop at 3 K for a TbPc2 molecule deposited on the same substrate, support this idea. The behavior of the single-ion magnets traces back to the unique properties of the rare-earth ions but also to the role of the oxide substrate, which reduces decoherence thanks to its mechanical stiffness and insulating character. The goal of this project is to study the electronic and magnetic properties of rare-earth adatoms and molecules, deposited on or within the surface of MgO and SrTiO3 substrates, using theoretical calculations (density-functional theory, Anderson impurity model), as well as experimental methods (X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, scanning-probe microscopy).
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