Effect of oxidation on the magnetism of cobalt and chromium clusters probed by Stern-Gerlach deflection

Clusters are nano-sized aggregates of a countable number of atoms, and have physical properties that can be substantially different from their bulk counterparts and vary - possibly drastically - with composition. Interestingly, clusters of many more compositions can be created than those available in the bulk. The overall objective of my research was to investigate the influence of oxidation on the magnetic properties of small neutral cobalt and chromium clusters in the gas phase. Hereto, Stern-Gerlach magnetic deflection experiments were conducted with a setup at the KU Leuven, and complemented by DFT calculations from our group or the literature. It was found that different degrees of oxidation can affect the magnetic response of cobalt and chromium oxide clusters to various extents. In my thesis I explored the underlying physics responsible for the magnetism of these clusters, and potential applications of nanomaterials based on magnetic cluster building blocks.