Advances in Single-Molecule Magnet Surface Patterning through Micro-Contact Printing

The authors present an implementation of strategies to deposit single-mol. magnets (SMMs) using microcontact printing (μCP). The authors describe different approaches of μCP to print stripes of a sulfur-functionalized dodecamanganese(III,IV) cluster on gold surfaces. Comparison by at. force microscopy profile anal. of the patterned structures confirms the formation of a chem. stable single layer of SMMs. Images based on chem. contrast, obtained by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, confirm the patterned structure.