Speaker:

Prof. Ricardo Ortiz Cano, University of Aveiro.

Tittle: Quantum magnetism in open-shell nanostructures

Time: 10:00 June 30th, 2026 (Tuesday)

Venue: Lecture Room, Building No.4

Host: Prof. Xiaohui Qiu

Abstract:

Graphene nanoislands are versatile platforms in terms of the design of its chemical structure. The different size, shape and edges that these molecules may have affect intimately to their electronic and magnetic properties. Under certain conditions, nanographenes can present unpaired electrons, developing local magnetic moments when electronic interactions are considered. A careful analysis of the wave function of such non-bonding states is crucial to understand the sign of the magnetic coupling in these multiradical systems. In this seminar, it will be presented a summarized guide to understand how magnetism works in open-shell nanographenes, as well as a description of their most fundamental properties in terms of a simple tight-binding model. Then, it will be possible to build more complex nanoarchitectures, like one- and two-dimensional platforms made of nanographenes. Expanding these systems in more dimensions opens the door to non-trivial phenomena originated in fascinating spin chains and anisotropic tight-binding models, such as fractionalization, high-order topology, valence bond solids, and more.

Info.:

Ricardo Ortiz Cano is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Chemistry and the CICECO–Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro (Portugal). He obtained his PhD in Materials Science from the University of Alicante (Spain) in 2021 and subsequently held a postdoctoral position at the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC, Spain).His research focuses on the theoretical study of the electronic, magnetic, and topological properties of nanographenes and low-dimensional materials, with applications in spintronics and quantum technologies. He has authored more than twenty scientific publications in leading international journals, including Nature, Nature Communications, ACS Nano, and Physical Review B. His current work explores the interplay between magnetism and topology in graphene-based nanostructures and two-dimensional materials, while leading and participating in several international research projects and collaborations across Europe and China.