Unlocking Ultrafast Spin Transfer in Single-Magnetic-Center-Decorated Triangulene Systems

J Phys Chem Lett. 2024 Apr 11;15(14):3929-3937. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00469. Epub 2024 Apr 3.

Abstract

Triangulene, as a typical open-shell graphene fragment, has attracted widespread attention for nanospintronics, promising to serve as building blocks in spin-logic units. Here, using ab initio calculations, we systematically study the laser-induced ultrafast spin-dynamic processes on triangulene nanoflakes, decorated with a transition-metal atom. The results reveal a competition between the induced magnetic center and the carbon edge of the triangulene, resulting in the coexistence of dual spin-density-distribution patterns on such single-magnetic-center systems, thus opening up possibilities of complex spin-dynamic scenarios beyond the spin flip. Interestingly, no matter what direction the spin points to, it is possible to achieve reversible spin-transfer processes using the same laser pulse. Increasing the pool of elementary processes to contain not only spin-direction-dependent but also spin-direction-independent scenarios allows for more versatile spin-logic operations, including classical handling of information and quantum computing. In the present work, we suggest downscaling nanospintronic devices by integrating triangulene-based nanostructures.