Quantum phase interference and Néel-vector tunneling in antiferromagnetic molecular wheels

Phys Rev Lett. 2009 Apr 17;102(15):157202. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.157202. Epub 2009 Apr 13.

Abstract

The antiferromagnetic molecular wheel Fe18 of 18 exchange-coupled Fe;{III} ions has been studied by magnetic torque, magnetization, and inelastic neutron scattering. The combined data show that the low-temperature magnetism of Fe18 is very accurately described by the Néel-vector tunneling (NVT) scenario, as unfolded by semiclassical theory. In addition, the magnetic torque as a function of applied field exhibits oscillations that reflect the oscillations in the NVT splitting with field due to quantum phase interference.