Nuclear spin dynamics in the quantum regime of a single-molecule magnet

Abstract

We show that the nuclear spin dynamics in the single-molecule magnet Mn12-ac below 1 K is governed by quantum tunneling fluctuations of the cluster spins, combined with intercluster nuclear spin diffusion. We also obtain the first experimental proof that - surprisingly - even deep in the quantum regime the nuclear spins remain in good thermal contact with the lattice phonons. We propose a simple model for how T-independent tunneling fluctuations can relax the nuclear polarization to the lattice, that may serve as a framework for more sophisticated theories.

RevTex, 4 pages, 3 eps figures. Final version appeared in PRL

References in corpus (1)

• Magnetic long-range order induced by quantum relaxation in single-molecule magnets

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Magnetic dipolar ordering and relaxation in the high-spin molecular cluster compound Mn6
• Giant isotope effect in the incoherent tunneling specific heat of the molecular nanomagnet Fe8
• An automated and versatile ultra-low temperature SQUID magnetometer
• Time relaxation of interacting single--molecule magnets