AVS 58th Annual International Symposium and Exhibition
    Neutron Scattering Focus Topic Wednesday Sessions
       Session NT+AS+MI-WeM

Paper NT+AS+MI-WeM4
Spectroscopic and Magnetic Characterization of the Spin-Crossover Transition in Thin Films of Fe(C12H8N2)2(NCS)2.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011, 9:00 am, Room 207

Session: Applications of Neutron Scattering I
Presenter: Edward Ellingsworth, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Authors: E.C. Ellingsworth, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
G.J. Szulczewski, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
V. Lauter, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Correspondent: Click to Email
The octahedral complex bis(1,10-phenanthroline)dithiocyanate iron(II), Fe(phen)2(NCS)2, is known

to exhibit an abrupt transition between a high and low magnetic spin state from 170 – 180 K in the

bulk phase. As a result, Fe(phen)2(NCS)2 is an interesting organic semiconductor to study charge and

spin transport in thin films. We synthesized and characterized Fe(phen)2(NCS)2 according to literature

procedures. Thin films of Fe(phen)2(NCS)2 were made by vapor deposition onto a variety of substrates

including Si, KBr, Au and Al and characterized by infrared and photoelectron spectroscopy, SQUID

magnetometry, optical microscopy, and polarized neutron reflectometry. The films were found to be

very sensitive to water vapor under ambient conditions, which complicates the structural, chemical and

magnetic analysis of the films. However, appropriate capping layers can be deposited onto the

Fe(phen)2(NCS)2 thin films to protect them from water vapor before removal from the vacuum system. The

differences in the magnetic behavior of the thin films will be compared to the bulk phase.