Magnetic field dependent transport through a Mn4 single-molecule magnet

We present a preliminary study of the single-electron transport response of a Mn-4 single-molecule magnet in which pyridyl-alkoxide groups have been added to electrically protect the magnetic core and to increase the stability of the molecule during the experiments. Three-terminal single-electron transistors with nanogapped gold electrodes formed by electromigration and a naturally oxidized aluminum backgate were used to perform experiments at temperatures down to 240 mK in the presence of arbitrarily oriented magnetic fields. Coulomb blockade and electronic excitations that curve with the magnetic field and present zero-field splitting represent evidence of magnetic anisotropy. Level anticrossings and large excitation slopes are associated with the behavior of molecular states with high-spin values (S similar to 9), as expected from Mn-4. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3560891]