Molecular Magnetic Quantum Dots in Multivalent Metal Cluster Compounds

In most magnetic molecular clusters studied so far, localized moments of metal ions are coupled by superexchange interactions via ligand atoms to yield the total moment of the cluster, which is basically a piece of a magnetic insulator. Here we present an experimental and theoretical study of another form of molecular magnetism, arising from unfilled molecular orbitals delocalized over the entire metal cores of molecular metal clusters. These cores thus act as nanosize quantum dots, in which the metal valence electrons are confined.