Single-molecule magnetic memory is the first to work at room temperature
Anionic iron complex breaks the rules of magnetic molecules and opens up opportunities to miniaturise data storage
An iron complex has become the first single-molecule magnetic memory that works at room temperature. ‘It’s a paradigm shift that will significantly impact the field,’ says Roberta Sessoli from the University of Florence, Italy, a pioneer in molecular magnetism who wasn’t involved in the project. The discovery could lead to miniaturised memory devices, which would reduce the energy consumption of everyday electronics.
Sometimes molecules possess a memory effect known as bistability, where they can switch between two configurations in response to an external stimulus. Single-molecule magnets, for example, showcase magnetic bistability when exposed to external magnetic fields. However, this effect only holds at very low temperatures – a dysprosium compound currently holds the stability record at 80K.