• Rapid Communication

Magnetic spectra in the tridiminished-icosahedron {Fe9} nanocluster by inelastic neutron scattering

David Vaknin and Franz Demmel
Phys. Rev. B 89, 180411(R) – Published 30 May 2014

Abstract

Inelastic neutron scattering (INS) experiments under applied magnetic field at low temperatures show detailed low-lying magnetic excitations in the so-called tridiminshed iron icosahedron magnetic molecule. The magnetic molecule consists of nine iron Fe3+ (s=5/2) and three phosphorous atoms that are situated on the 12 vertices of a nearly perfect icosahedron. The three phosphorous atoms form a plane that separates the iron cluster into two weakly coupled three- and six-ion fragments, {Fe3} and {Fe6}, respectively. The magnetic field INS results exhibit an S=1/2 ground state expected from a perfect equilateral triangle of the {Fe3} triad with a powder averaged g value =2.00. Two sets of triplet excitations whose temperature and magnetic field dependence indicate an S=0 ground state with two nondegenerate S=1 states are attributed to the {Fe6} fragment. The splitting may result from a finite coupling between the two fragments, single-ion anisotropy, antisymmetric exchange couplings, or from magnetic frustration of its triangular building blocks.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 19 February 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.89.180411

©2014 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

David Vaknin1,* and Franz Demmel2

  • 1Ames Laboratory and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
  • 2Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, ISIS Pulsed Neutron Facility, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX110QX, United Kingdom

  • *vaknin@ameslab.gov

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 89, Iss. 18 — 1 May 2014

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review B

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×