Self-assembling of Mn12 molecular nanomagnets on FIB-patterned Au dot matrix

We have developed a novel strategy to build arrays of magnetic nanodots on the 100 nm scale, which exploits the potentialities of both bottom-up and top-down approaches, by self-assembling sulfur-functionalized Mn12 single molecule magnets (SMMs) on patterned Au dot matrices nanofabricated by FIB (focus ion beam). In this way, we demonstrate the capability to assemble SMMs in ordered arrays, where the magnetic information can be easily addressed, being the single bit represented by a 2D distribution of few hundred Mn12 clusters, grafted on top of each 100 × 100 nm² Au dot. Moreover, the chosen Mn12 functionalization is expected to favour a preferential orientation of the grafted molecule with the easy magnetization axis normal to the surface.     

Origin of second-order transverse magnetic anisotropy in Mn12-acetate

The symmetry breaking effects for quantum tunneling of the magnetization in Mn12-acetate, a molecular nanomagnet, represent an open problem. We present structural evidence that the disorder of the acetic acid of crystallization induces sizable distortion of the Mn(III) sites, giving rise to six different isomers. Four isomers have symmetry lower than tetragonal and a nonzero second-order transverse magnetic anisotropy, which has been evaluated using a ligand field approach. The result of the calculation leads to an improved simulation of electron paramagnetic resonance spectra and justifies the tunnel splitting distribution derived from the field sweep rate dependence of the hysteresis loops.     

Probing magnetic fields on crystals of the nanomagnet Mn12-acetate by electron paramagnetic resonance

We report on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) probing of magnetic fields and magnetic field gradients near the surface of a single crystal of the nanomagnet [Mn12O12(CH3COO)16(H2O)4].2CH3COOH.4H2O (Mn12-Ac). As the EPR probe, we utilized a 0.7 mm x 30 microm x 30 microm fibrous needle of the organic conductor N-methylphenazinium-tetracyanoquinodimethane (NMP-TCNQ), which yields an exceptionally sharp peak, with a 0.2 G (approximately 20 microT) width. In the presence of Mn12-Ac, the probe's peak exhibits splitting on temperature lowering, which depends on the orientation of the Zeeman field relative to the axis of easy magnetization of the employed Mn12-Ac crystal. The shifted peaks yield the magnitude of the magnetic field from Mn12-Ac crystal to which the various fibers of the probe are subjected. In conjunction with electron microscopy, the shifts yield the field gradient at the crystal surface and its change with temperature. For Mn12-Ac at 10 K, the surface magnetic field was measured to be in the mT range and its gradient on the order of 50 T/m.     

Quantum magnetic deflagration in acetate

We report controlled ignition of magnetization reversal avalanches by surface acoustic waves in a single crystal of acetate. Our data show that the speed of the avalanche exhibits maxima on the magnetic field at the tunneling resonances of Mn(12). Combined with the evidence of magnetic deflagration in Mn(12) acetate, this suggests a novel physical phenomenon: deflagration assisted by quantum tunneling.     

Magnetic glass in shape memory alloy: Ni(45)Co(5)Mn(38)Sn(12)

The first order martensitic transition in the ferromagnetic shape memory alloy Ni(45)Co(5)Mn(38)Sn(12) is also a magnetic transition and has a large field induced effect. While cooling in the presence of a field this first order magnetic martensite transition is kinetically arrested. Depending on the cooling field, a fraction of the arrested ferromagnetic austenite phase persists down to the lowest temperature as a magnetic glassy state, similar to the one observed in various intermetallic alloys and in half doped manganites. A detailed investigation of this first order ferromagnetic austenite (FM-A) to low magnetization martensite (LM-M) state transition as a function of temperature and field has been carried out by magnetization measurements. Extensive cooling and heating in unequal field (CHUF) measurements and a novel field cooled protocol for isothermal MH measurements (FC-MH) are utilized to investigate the glass like arrested states and show a reverse martensite transition. Finally, we determine a field-temperature (HT) phase diagram of Ni(45)Co(5)Mn(38)Sn(12) from various magnetization measurements which brings out the regions where thermodynamic and metastable states coexist in the HT space, clearly depicting this system as a 'magnetic glass'.     

Long-range ferromagnetism of Mn12 acetate single-molecule magnets under a transverse magnetic field

We use neutron diffraction to probe the magnetization components of a crystal of Mn12 single-molecule magnets. Each of these molecules behaves, at low temperatures, as a nanomagnet with spin S = 10 and strong anisotropy along the crystallographic c axis. The application of a magnetic field H(perpendicular) perpendicular to c induces quantum tunneling between opposite spin orientations, enabling the spins to attain thermal equilibrium. For T approximately < 0.9(1) K, this equilibrium state shows spontaneous magnetization, indicating the onset of ferromagnetism. These long-range magnetic correlations nearly disappear for mu0H(perpendicular) approximately > 5.5 T, possibly suggesting the existence of a quantum critical point.     

Resonant tunnelling of the magnetization in molecular crystal of [（Mn1-xCrx）12O12 （CH3COO）16（H2O）4]·2CH3COOH·4H2O（x=0,0.03,0.04,0.05）

The quantum tunnelling of magnetization （QTM） in single crystals of the single molecule magnet （Mn1-xCrx）12- Ac （x=0, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05） has been investigated. In comparison with its parent Mnl2-Ac, a greater rate of magnetization relaxation and a lower effective potential-energy barrier have been observed in Cr-doping samples. This modulation of QTM due to the Cr-doping could be attributed to the small change of Sz due to the smaller spin of Cr itself and additional intrinsic but distributed transverse and longitudinal anisotropy raised by a subtle change of the local environment in the magnetic Mn12 core.     

Crossover between thermally assisted and pure quantum tunneling in molecular magnet Mn12-acetate

The crossover between thermally assisted and pure quantum tunneling has been studied in single crystals of high spin (S = 10) uniaxial molecular magnet Mn12 using micro-Hall-effect magnetometry. Magnetic hysteresis and relaxation experiments have been used to investigate the energy levels that determine the magnetization reversal as a function of magnetic field and temperature. These experiments demonstrate that the crossover occurs in a narrow ( approximately 0. 1 K) or broad ( approximately 1 K) temperature interval depending on the magnitude of the field transverse to the anisotropy axis.     

稀磁半导体(Ga,Mn)As薄膜激光诱导超快磁化动力学过程拟合方法探究

本文对稀磁半导体(Ga, Mn)As薄膜中超快激光诱导磁化动力学响应信号的不同拟合方法进行了对比分析. 通过Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert(LLG)方程的数值拟合发现, 由于薄膜平面内和平面外磁光响应强度不同, 磁矢量三维进动的叠加可以导致多个频率振动模式的假象. 当使用高于(Ga, Mn)As带边的能量激发时, 磁化进动的磁光响应信号中叠加着来自光极化载流子的响应, 此时单纯利用LLG方程对薄膜整体磁化动力学过程拟合应谨慎使用. 本工作为正确分析和理解脉冲激光对(Ga, Mn)As铁磁性的超快调控提供了拟合方法上的指导.     

Magnetotransport and magnetic properties of InAs/Mn digital alloys

We have investigated the magnetic and magneto-transport properties of a systematic sequence of five InAs/Mn digital alloys grown by a combination of molecular beam epitaxy and atomic layer epitaxy. The samples consist of 30 periods of Mn fractional monolayers (ML) (0.17–0.5 ML) separated by 14 ML thick InAs spacer layers in a superlattice configuration. Four samples show n-type electrical conduction while the fifth (0.25 ML Mn) is p-type. Squid magnetization measurements performed on these samples show remnant magnetization above room temperature, which is apparently related to a second phase.     

Propagation of avalanches in Mn12-acetate: magnetic deflagration

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 2 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.     

Very large tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance of a (Ga,Mn)As/GaAs/(Ga,Mn)As stack

We report the discovery of a very large tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance in an epitaxially grown (Ga,Mn)As/GaAs/(Ga,Mn)As structure. The key novel spintronics features of this effect are as follows: (i) both normal and inverted spin-valve-like signals; (ii) a large nonhysteretic magnetoresistance for magnetic fields perpendicular to the interfaces; (iii) magnetization orientations for extremal resistance are, in general, not aligned with the magnetic easy and hard axis; (iv) enormous amplification of the effect at low bias and temperatures.     

Peculiar ferrimagnetism associated with charge order in layered perovskite GdBaMn2O5.0

The magnetic properties of GdBaMn2O5.0, which exhibits charge ordering, are studied from 2 to 400 K using single crystals. In a small magnetic field applied along the easy axis, the magnetization M shows a temperature-induced reversal which is sometimes found in ferrimagnets. In a large magnetic field, on the other hand, a sharp change in the slope of M(T) coming from an unusual turnabout of the magnetization of the Mn sublattices is observed. Those observations are essentially explained by a molecular field theory which highlights the role of delicate magnetic interactions between Gd3+ ions and the antiferromagnetically coupled Mn2+/Mn3+ sublattices.     

New quantum tunneling steps in Mn_(11)Cr/Mn_(12) mixed crystal

Magnetic properties of Mn11Cr and Mn12 mixed crystal at low temperature are studied.A new set of quantum tunneling steps discovered in magnetization curves suggests that there may exist another kind of single molecular magnet in this mixed crystal.     

Bulk magnetization and 1H NMR spectra of magnetically heterogeneous model systems

Bulk magnetization and ¹H static and magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of two magnetically heterogeneous model systems based on laponite (LAP) layered silicate or polystyrene (PS) with low and high proton concentration, respectively, and ferrimagnetic Fe₂O₃ nano- or micro-particles have been studied. In LAP+Fe₂O₃, a major contribution to the NMR signal broadening is due to the dipolar coupling between the magnetic moments of protons and magnetic particles. In PS+Fe₂O₃, due to the higher proton concentration in polystyrene and stronger proton–proton dipolar coupling, an additional broadening is observed, i.e. ¹H MAS NMR spectra of magnetically heterogeneous systems are sensitive to both proton–magnetic particles and proton–proton dipolar couplings. An increase of the volume magnetization by ～1 emu/cm³ affects the ¹H NMR signal width in a way that is similar to an increase of the proton concentration by ～2×10²²/cm³. ¹H MAS NMR spectra, along with bulk magnetization measurements, allow the accurate determination of the hydrogen concentration in magnetically heterogeneous systems.     

Effect of optical spin injection on ferromagnetically coupled Mn spins in the III-V magnetic alloy semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As

We report on the new type of photoinduced magnetization in ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As thin films. Optically generated spin-polarized holes change the orientation of ferromagnetically coupled Mn spins and cause a large change in magnetization, being 15% of the saturation magnetization, without the application of a magnetic field. The memorization effect has also been found as a trace after the photoinduced magnetization. The observed results suggest that a small amount of nonequilibrium carrier spins can cause collective rotation of Mn spins presumably through the p-d exchange interaction.     

Magnetization measurements of magnetic two-dimensional electron gases

We directly measure the magnetization of both the conduction electrons and Mn2+ ions in (Zn,Cd,Mn)Se two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) by integrating them into ultrasensitive micromechanical magnetometers. The interplay between spin and orbital energy in these magnetic 2DEGs causes Landau level degeneracies at the Fermi energy. These Landau level crossings result in novel features in the de Haas-van Alphen oscillations, which are quantitatively reproduced by a simple model.     

Mn12-Ac磁性分子团簇单晶的热重-差热分析与结构转变

通过热重-差热分析(TG-DTA)，考察了Mn12-Ac磁性分子晶体从室温到270℃的热失重过程.结合x射线粉末衍射分析，认为在第一个失重阶段，即25—110℃，Mn12-Ac失去了处于团簇分子间隙的结晶乙酸和结晶水，同时失去了团簇分子中与4个Mn3+配位的4个H2O，Mn12-Ac单晶结构被破坏，但是团簇分子的基本结构依然存在；在第二个失重阶段，即180—230℃，Mn12-Ac转变为γ-Mn2O3，其中混有少量Mn3O4. 关键词： Mn12 分子团簇 热重-差热分析 x射线衍射     

Mn掺杂(ZnSe)12团簇物性研究

采用密度泛函理论研究Mn原子单掺杂和双掺杂（ZnSe）₁₂团簇的结构、电子性质和磁性质.考虑三种掺杂方式：替代掺杂,外掺杂和内掺杂.比较掺杂团簇的稳定性.结果表明：无论是单掺杂还是双掺杂,替代掺杂团簇是最稳定结构.在结构优化的基础上对掺杂团簇进行磁性计算.团簇磁矩主要来自Mn原子3d态的贡献,4s和4p态贡献了一小部分磁矩.由于轨道杂化,相邻的Zn和Se原子上产生少量自旋.研究发现：内双掺杂团簇是铁磁耦合,在纳米量子器件领域有潜在的应用价值.     

Magnetic and electrical transport properties of delta-doped amorphous Ge:Mn magnetic semiconductors

We report on the growth and characterization of delta-doped amorphous Ge:Mn diluted magnetic semiconductor thin films on GaAs (0 0 1) substrates. The fabricated samples exhibit different magnetic behaviors, depending on the Mn doping concentration. The Curie temperature was found to be dependent on both the Mn doping concentration and spacing between the doping layers. A sharp drop in magnetization and rise in resistivity are observed at low temperature in samples with high Mn doping concentrations, which is also accompanied by a negative thermal remanent magnetization (TRM) in the higher temperature range. The temperature at which the magnetization starts to drop and the negative TRM appears show a correlation with the Mn doping concentration. The experimental results are discussed based on the formation of ferromagnetic regions at high temperature and antiferromagnetic coupling between these regions at low temperature.