Three-Leaf Quantum Interference Clovers in a Trigonal Single-Molecule Magnet

    Authors

    J. H. Atkinson; R. Inglis; E. del Barco;E. K. Brechin

    Comments

    Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at [email protected]

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Phys. Rev. Lett.

    Keywords

    SPIN; MAGNETIZATION; Physics, Multidisciplinary

    Abstract

    We report on a single-molecule magnet where the spatial arrangement of three manganese ions and their spin-orbit coupling tensor orientations result in threefold angular modulations of the magnetization tunneling rates and quantum interference patterns that mimic the form of a three-leaf clover. Although expected in all quantum tunneling of magnetization resonances for a trigonal molecular symmetry, the threefold modulation only appears at resonances for which a longitudinal magnetic field is applied (i.e., resonance numbers vertical bar k vertical bar > 0). A sixfold transverse field modulation observed at resonance k = 0 manifests as a direct consequence of a threefold corrugation of the spin-orbit coupling energy landscape, creating an effective longitudinal field which varies the resonance condition in the presence of a transverse field. The observations allow for an association between the trigonal distortion of the local spin-orbit interactions and the spatial disposition of the constituent ions, a finding that can be extrapolated to other systems where spin-orbit coupling plays a significant role.

    Journal Title

    Physical Review Letters

    Volume

    113

    Issue/Number

    8

    Publication Date

    1-1-2014

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    5

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000341292300012

    ISSN

    0031-9007

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