Distribution of tunnel splittings in Mn(12) acetate

Phys Rev Lett. 2001 Nov 26;87(22):227205. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.227205. Epub 2001 Nov 12.

Abstract

In magnetic fields applied parallel to the anisotropy axis, the relaxation of the magnetization of Mn(12)-acetate measured for different sweep rates collapses onto a single scaled curve. The form of the scaling implies that the dominant symmetry-breaking process responsible for tunneling is a locally varying second-order transverse anisotropy, forbidden by tetragonal symmetry in the perfect crystal, which gives rise to a broad distribution of tunnel splittings in a real crystal of Mn(12) acetate. Different forms applied to even- and odd-numbered steps provide a clear distinction between even resonances (associated with crystal anisotropy) and odd resonances (which require a transverse magnetic field).