Single magnetic molecule between conducting leads: Effect of mechanical rotations

TL;DR

This paper investigates how mechanical rotations influence spin tunneling in a magnetic molecule connected to conducting leads, revealing detectable oscillations in electronic current due to spin-rotation coupling.

Contribution

It introduces a model linking spin tunneling to mechanical rotations in magnetic molecules and predicts measurable current oscillations caused by spin-rotation effects.

Findings

Mechanical rotations couple with spin tunneling dynamics.

Landau-Zener transitions induce mechanical oscillations.

Oscillations can be detected via electronic tunneling current.

Abstract

We study spin-rotation effects in a magnetic molecule bridged between two conducting leads. Dynamics of the total angular momentum couples spin tunneling to the mechanical rotations. Landau-Zener spin transition produced by the time-dependent magnetic field generates a unique pattern of mechanical oscillations that can be detected by measuring the electronic tunneling current through the molecule.