Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Our general research programme is focused on the preparation and study of new variants of molecules that can "switch" their properties.  In particular, we are investigating new materials that can change their magnetic properties at different temperatures:  At higher temperatures these systems exhibit measureable magnetic properties (known as "paramagnetism") and as the sample is cooled, the molecules undergo a change in their electronic structure and the result is a disappearance of any paramagnetism (we call this state "diamagnetism").     We are interested in these materials because they are truly switching devices but on the smallest possible level:  the molecular scale.  Current scientific research is focused on making macroscopic electronic devices/components, like wires, transistors, etc.,  on the tiny molecular scale.  At these scales, our molecular devices will exhibit properties that are vastly superior to the analogous macroscopic devices and the result will be extremely fast computing power and massive data storage capabilities, just to name a couple.     Of course, these materials need to be prepared and studied.  One method used to study "molecular switches" is to track the electronic changes that occur within the molecule as the temperature is changed.  As the electronic structure of the molecule changes, so does its ability to absorb different frequencies of light.  With the spectrometer we have requested from NSERC, we can now study these physical changes in our systems in our lab as we make them.