No Arabic abstract
For the first time, the morphology and dynamics of spin avalanches in Mn12-Acetate crystals using magneto-optical imaging has been explored. We observe an inhomogeneous relaxation of the magnetization, the spins reversing first at one edge of the crystal and a few milliseconds later at the other end. Our data fit well with the theory of magnetic deflagration, demonstrating that very slow deflagration rates can be obtained, which makes new types of experiments possible.
The problem of the role of transverse fields in Mn12-acetate, a molecular nanomagnet, is still open. We present structural evidences that the disorder of the acetic acid of crystallization indices sizeable distortion of the Mn(III) sites, giving rise to six different isomers, four of them with symmetry lower than tetragonal. Using a ligand field approach the effect of the structure modifications on the second order transverse magnetic anisotropy, forbidden in tetragonal symmetry, has been evaluated. The order of magnitude of the quadratic transverse anisotropies well agree with the values derived by the analysis of the field sweep dependence of the hysteresis loops performed by Mertes et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett 87, 227205 (2001)) and allows to better simulate the EPR spectra.
Local time-resolved measurements of fast reversal of the magnetization of single crystals of Mn12-acetate indicate that the magnetization avalanche spreads as a narrow interface that propagates through the crystal at a constant velocity that is roughly two orders of magnitude smaller than the speed of sound. We argue that this phenomenon is closely analogous to the propagation of a flame front (deflagration) through a flammable chemical substance.
Using micron-sized thermometers and Hall bars, we report time-resolved studies of the local temperature and local magnetization for two types of magnetic avalanches (abrupt spin reversals) in the molecular magneti Mn12-acetate, corresponding to avalanches of the main slow-relaxing crystalline form and avalanches of the fast-relaxing minor species that exists in all as-grown crystals of this material. An experimental protocol is used that allows the study of each type of avalanche without triggering avalanches in the other, and of both types of avalanches simultaneously. In samples prepared magnetically to enable both types of avalanches, minor species avalanches are found to act as a catalyst for the major species avalanches. magnetically to enable both types of avalanches, minor species avalanches are found to act as a catalyst for the major species avalanches.
Crystals of the molecular magnet Mn12-acetate are known to contain a small fraction of low- symmetry (minor) species with a small anisotropy barrier against spin reversal. The lower barrier leads to faster magnetic relaxation and lower coercive field. We exploit the low coercive fields of the minor species to make a direct determination of the dipole field in Mn12-ac. We find that the dipolar field of a fully magnetized crystal is 51.5 pm 8.5 mT, consistent with theoretical expectations.
Films of the molecular nanomagnet, Mn12-acetate, have been deposited using pulsed laser deposition and a novel variant, matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation. The films have been characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and magnetic hysteresis. The results indicate that an increase in laser energy and/or pulse frequency leads to fragmentation of Mn12, whereas its chemical and magnetic integrity is preserved at low laser energy (200 mJ). This technique allows the fabrication of patterned thin film systems of molecular nanomagnets for fundamental and applied experiments.