Switching Magnetic Properties by a Mechanical Motion

Switching magnetic properties have attracted a wide interest from inorganic chemist for the objectives of information storage and quantum computing at the molecular level. This review is focused on magnetic switches based on a mechanical motion, which is an innovative approach. Three main strategies to control magnetic properties by a mechanical motion have been developed in the literature and will be described. The first one (ligand-induced spin change) consists in modulating the ligand field strength by a configuration change of the ligand in spin-crossover complexes. The second one (coordination-induced spin-state switching) is based on a change in the coordination number of a metallic center that is triggered by the motion of one ligand. The third one uses the modulation of the exchange interaction between two spin-centers by a mechanical motion.