Dynamics in staggered molecular spin chains

The ability to manipulate quantum states of matter is a goal of condensed matter science. Recent progress in molecular magnetism has shown the potential for gaining control over the structural building blocks of materials in order to engineer quantum magnetic properties. Our most recent work has concerned the chiral spin chain [Cu(pym)(H2O)4]SiF6.H2O (pym = pyrimidine) (1). The magnetic properties of this system most resemble those of a staggered spin chain, although the chiral structure of (1) appears to endow it with a unique field-induced excitation spectrum. In this project we propose to investigate the dynamic magnetic response of (1), comparing its excitation spectrum to that of the staggered chain material [pym-Cu(NO3)2(H2O)2].