Hysteresis Steps Demonstrate Quantum Tunneling of Molecular Spins
JAN 01, 1997
When molecular spins in a crystal tunnel in lockstep under potential barriers, one sees not only a spectacular demonstration of quantum effects, but also the promise of magnetic information storage by individual molecules.
DOI: 10.1063/1.881648
Hysteresis is Hysteresis is a familiar macroscopic phenomenon in the behavior of magnetic materials: When a sample is subjected to a varying external magnetic field, its magnetization curve does not, in general, retrace its steps as the external field in a fixed direction is swept from a large negative value to a large positive value and then back again. But until the summer of 1995, no one had ever seen quantum steps in a hysteresis loop.
© 1997. American Institute of Physics
