Partial magnetic ordering in one-dimensional arrays of endofullerene single-molecule magnet peapods

The magnetic ordering and bistability of one-dimensional chains of endofullerene Dy2ScN@C-80 single-molecule magnets (SMMs) packed inside single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), and ab initio calculations. X-ray absorption measurements reveal that the orientation of the encapsulated endofullerenes differs from the isotropic distribution in the bulk sample, indicating a partial ordering of the endofullerenes inside the SWCNTs. The effect of the one-dimensional packing was further investigated by ab initio calculations, demonstrating that for specific tube diameters, the encapsulation is leading to energetically preferential orientations of the endohedral clusters. Additionally, element-specific magnetization curves reveal a decreased magnetic bistability of the encapsulated Dy2ScN@C-80 SMMs compared to the bulk analog.