Nanopatterning of Mn12-acetate single-molecule magnet films.

We report the fabrication of the artificial nanopatterns of Mn12-acetate films using e-beam lithography. Scanning electron micrographs and atomic force micrographs of the patterns reveal the minimum lateral size (∼50 nm), height, and surface morphology of the patterns. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data indicate the presence of Mn12-acetate in the patterned structure. The thin film material indicates magnetic properties consistent with Mn12-acetate, supporting the conclusion that the lithographic chemicals used in this study do not interfere with the core properties of Mn12-acetate. The successful fabrication of Mn12-acetate nanopatterns enables a range of possibilities for designed hybrid systems with three-dimensional positional control on the nanometer scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]