Nanopatterning of Mn-12-acetate single-molecule magnet films

We report the fabrication of the artificial nanopatterns of Mn12 -acetate films using e-beam lithography. Scanning electron micrographs and atomic force micrographs of the patterns reveal the minimum lateral size (50 nm), height, and surface morphology of the patterns. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data indicate the presence of Mn12 -acetate in the patterned structure. The thin film material indicates magnetic properties consistent with Mn12 -acetate, supporting the conclusion that the lithographic chemicals used in this study do not interfere with the core properties of Mn12 -acetate. The successful fabrication of Mn12 -acetate nanopatterns enables a range of possibilities for designed hybrid systems with three-dimensional positional control on the nanometer scale. 2007 American Institute of Physics.

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