Abstract
The classical Einstein-de Haas experiment demonstrates that a change of magnetization in a macroscopic magnetic object results in a mechanical rotation of this magnet. This experiment can therefore be considered as a macroscopic manifestation of the conservation of total angular momentum and energy of electronic spins. Since the conservation of angular momentum is a consequence of a system's rotational invariance, it is valid for an ensemble of spins in a macroscopic ferromaget as well as for single spins. Here we propose an experimental realization of an Einstein-de Haas experiment at the single-spin level based on a single-molecule magnet coupled to a nanomechanical resonator. We demonstrate that the spin associated with the single-molecule magnet is then subject to conservation of total angular momentum and energy, which results in a total suppression of the molecule's quantum tunnelling of magnetization.
Highlights
The classical Einstein-de Haas experiment demonstrates that a change of magnetization in a macroscopic magnetic object results in a mechanical rotation of this magnet
We describe an experimental realization of a quantum Einstein-de Haas experiment, which consists of a single-molecule magnet (SMM) attached to a carbon nanotube (CNT) mechanical resonator
We report on experimental evidence for such a quantum Einstein-de Haas effect and demonstrate that conservation of total angular momentum and energy fully suppresses quantum tunnelling of magnetization (QTM) in a SMM coupled to a carbon nanotube nanoresonator
Summary
The classical Einstein-de Haas experiment demonstrates that a change of magnetization in a macroscopic magnetic object results in a mechanical rotation of this magnet. This results in a total suppression of the molecule’s quantum tunnelling of magnetization, whereas at higher magnetic field the magnetization reversal occurs via a direct transition between the electronic spin states for a transition energy matching the phonon energy of the CNT mechanical resonator. These findings demonstrate the importance of angular momentum conservation in magnetic nanostructures and are crucial to the field of molecular quantum spintronics.[8] the presented suppression of quantum tunnelling could help to increase the spin lifetime T1 of SMMs and other nanomagnets
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