Molecule-Based Magnets—An Overview

Molecule-based magnets are a broad, emerging class of magnetic materials that expand the materials properties typically associated with magnets to include low density, transparency, electrical insulation, and low-temperature fabrication, as well as combine magnetic ordering with other properties such as photoresponsiveness. Essentially all of the common magnetic phenomena associated with conventional transition-metal and rare-earth-based magnets can be found in molecule-based magnets. Although discovered less than two decades ago, magnets with ordering temperatures exceeding room temperature, very high (∼27.0 kOe or 2.16 MA/m) and very low (several Oe or less) coercivities, and substantial remanent and saturation magnetizations have been achieved. In addition, exotic phenomena including photoresponsiveness have been reported. The advent of molecule-based magnets offers new processing opportunities. For example, thin-film magnets can be prepared by means of low-temperature chemical vapor deposition and electrodeposition methods.