A measurement set-up is sought for that combines electrical transport with optical measurements to study the interplay between charge transport, light and magnetism in three-terminal devices comprising a variety of nano-objects. Nano-objects include individual (magnetic) molecules, nanoparticles made from Prussian Blue or spin-crossover compounds, or graphene nanoribbons. Electrodes will be made with e-beam lithography and the gate electrode is either formed a global one (the doped silicon substrate) or a local one formed by an metallic electrode nearby. Additionally, the set-up will be used to study magnetic phase transitions in two-dimensional magnetic membranes by purely mechanical means; electrical gates will be used to control and modify the phase transitions.