Electrochemical Synthesis of High-Tc, Colored, Magnetic Thin Films Composed of Vanadium(II/III)-Chromium(II) Hexacyanochromate(III)

Translucent, colored magnets, which would open up new possibilities in optomagnetic devices, could potentially be realized in the form of molecule-based magnets composed of metal complexes. A new class of colored, magnetic thin films, prepared electrochemically and composed of KIaVII/IIIxCrII1–x[CrIII(CN)6]y, is reported. The films vary from colorless (x=0) via green to blue (x=1), depending on the composition, and have high Tc values (220–300 K). The success of the strategy of controlling the intervalence transfer band between the vanadium and chromium ions by metal replacement is demonstrated by the results presented.