Bistable spin-crossover nanoparticles for molecular electronics.

The field of spin-crossover complexes is rapidly evolving from the study of the spin transition phenomenon to its exploitation in molecular electronics. Such spin transition is gradual in a single-molecule, while in bulk it can be abrupt, showing sometimes thermal hysteresis and thus a memory effect. A convenient way to keep this bistability while reducing the size of the spin-crossover material is to process it as nanoparticles. Here, we review the most recent advances in the chemical design of these nanoparticles and their integration into electronic devices, paying particular attention to optimizing the switching ratio. Then, we focus on integrating spin-crossover nanoparticles over 2D materials to improve the endurance, performance, and detection of the spin state in these hybrid devices. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.