Study of molecular spin-crossover complex Fe(phen)2(NCS)2 thin films

We report on the growth by evaporation under high vacuum of high-quality thin films of Fe(phen)2(NCS)2 (phen=1,10-phenanthroline) that maintain the expected electronic structure down to a thickness of 10 nm and that exhibit a temperature-driven spin transition. We have investigated the current-voltage characteristics of a device based on such films. From the space charge-limited current regime, we deduce a mobility of 6.5×10−6 cm2/V s that is similar to the low-range mobility measured on the widely studied tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum organic semiconductor. This work paves the way for multifunctional molecular devices based on spin-crossover complexes.