Ligand-Tuned CISS-Effect of Atomically Precise Metal Oxido Nanoclusters

Chirality-induced spin effects, first observed in hybrid interface structures, are distinguished by their remarkable robustness. For practical applications and tunability, chemically modular design concepts are particularly promising. Here, we demonstrate chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) in sub-3 nm metal oxido nanoclusters, using bismuth-based systems as a model platform that can be selectively activated by chiral carboxylate ligands. While both chiral and achiral nanoclusters adsorb similarly onto magnetic Au/Co/Au nanostructures via sulfur-metal bonding, the adsorption process alone does not induce a CISS effect, i.e., not imparting chirality to the interface. Our findings establish a modular molecular design strategy that enables the targeted functionalization of chiral metal oxido nanoclusters, opening perspectives for their integration into spin-dependent applications, including optoelectronic systems.