Examples of molecular switching in inorganic solids, due to temperature,
light, pressure, and magnetic field
F. Varret1,*, A. Bleuzen2, K. Boukheddaden1,
A. Bousseksou3, E. Codjovi1, C. Enachescu1,
A. Goujon1, J. Linares1, N. Menendez1,4,
and M. Verdaguer2
1 Laboratoire de Magnétisme et d
Optique CNRS-Université de Versailles, 45
Avenue des Etats-Unis, 78035 Versailles Cedex, France;
2 Laboratoire de Chimie Inorganique et Matériaux Moléculaires,
CNRS-Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 place Jussieu, 75252
Paris Cedex 05, France;
3 Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination, CNRS, UPR 8241,
205 Route de Narbonne, 31017 Toulouse, France;
4 Departmento de Quimica Fisica Aplicada, Universidad Autonoma
de Madrid, 28049-Madrid, Spain
Abstract: We describe various molecular switching processes
occurring in several types of inorganic solids: spin cross-over (SC)
compounds, photomagnetic Prussian blue analogs (PBAs), and valence-tautomeric
system. Their thermo-, photo-, piezo-, and magneto-chromic properties
are illustrated by recent examples. A common description of their static
properties by a two-level model is given.
* Lecture presented at the 5th Conference on Solid
State Chemistry (SSC 2002), Bratislava, Slovakia, 7-12 July 2002. Other
presentations are published in this issue, pp.
2083-2168.