Neutron spectroscopy and magnetic relaxation of the Mn6 nanomagnets

Inelastic neutron scattering has been used to determine the microscopic Hamiltonian describing two high-spin variants of the high-anisotropy Mn6 nanomagnet. The energy spectrum of both systems is characterized by the presence of several excited total-spin multiplets partially overlapping the S = 12 ground multiplet. This implies that the relaxation processes of these molecules are different from those occurring in prototype giant-spin nanomagnets. In particular, we show that both the height of the energy barrier and resonant tunnelling processes are greatly influenced by low-lying excited total-spin multiplets.

Graphical abstractInelastic neutron scattering has been used to determine the microscopic Hamiltonian describing two high-spin variants of the high-anisotropy Mn6 nanomagnet. Several excited total-spin multiplets partially overlap the S = 12 ground multiplet. We show that both the height of the energy barrier and resonant tunnelling processes are greatly influenced by these low-lying excited total-spin multiplets.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide