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The ultimate limit of classical data storage is a single-atom magnetic bit. Researchers have now achieved the writing and reading of individual atoms whose magnetic information can be retained for several hours. See Letter p.226

Molecular magnets are promising for their use as high-density memory devices. However, maintaining the molecules’ magnetic state when bonded to a substrate has been impossible. The discovery, in sophisticated experiments, that single magnetic molecules can indeed show magnetic hysteresis when wired to a gold surface opens the door to individually address magnetic molecules.

Spin transitions are the most common mechanism for switching molecules between two distinct energy states, for uses as diverse as memory devices and displays. How the transition is triggered is crucial, and a pentanuclear cluster has now been reported in which the spin transition is promoted by redox transfer between different metal ions.

A superconducting transition is used to switch a single molecule magnet from a blocked magnetization state to a resonant quantum tunnelling regime

A modulation of the magnetic exchange interaction using an electric field, in the absence of atomic displacement and not relying on spin–orbit coupling, is reported.

Weak magneto-chiral dichroic effects may explain why biomolecules all have the same chirality, but they are notoriously difficult to observe. Using hard X-rays, strong magneto-chiral dichroism has now been observed in a paramagnetic molecular helix.

Molecular spin qubits that can be controlled electrically are typically susceptible to decoherence. Holmium molecular spins provide a solution by combining robust coherence with strong spin–electric coupling.

Understanding phonon-induced relaxation in molecular qubits is a crucial step in realizing their application potential. Garlatti at al. use a combination of inelastic X-ray scattering and density functional theory to investigate the role of low-energy phonons on spin relaxation of a prototypical molecular qubit.

Deposition of single molecule magnets onto surfaces is a key step for integration in devices exploiting their magnetic bistability and quantum properties. Here, Sessoli and colleagues exploit synchrotron Mössbauer spectroscopy to assess the effects of molecule-surface interactions on the magnetic properties of Fe(III) SMMs.

Single-molecule magnets have potential data-storage applications, but will need to work at a much higher temperature than has been possible. Two studies suggest that this goal could be met in the near future. See Letter p.439

Molecular nanomagnets have potential applications for storing both classical and quantum information, with benefit of the high scalability of chemical synthesis. Here the authors use state-of-the-art experimental and theoretical methods to investigate phonons in a molecular qubit candidate.

Single-molecule magnets are molecular complexes with magnetic bistability, and recently it was shown that such a magnetic memory effect is retained for Fe₄ clusters when they are wired to a gold surface. These authors have tailored the clusters to have a preferential orientation and form a self-assembled monolayer on the surface. It then becomes possible to observe quantum tunnelling of the magnetization, which shows up as steps in the magnetic hysteresis loop.