Anomalous excitations of atomically crafted quantum magnets

TL;DR

This paper investigates novel low-energy spin-excitations in quantum magnets coupled to an electron bath, revealing unique conductance features and magnetic behaviors through spectroscopic and theoretical analysis.

Contribution

It uncovers a new type of spin-excitation signature and explains it via combined theoretical approaches, advancing understanding of atomically crafted nanomagnet dynamics.

Findings

Discovery of a single conductance step indicating new spin-excitation behavior

Dependence of spectra on magnetic field and interactions explained by theory

Evidence of spin-coupled behavior in atomically crafted nanostructures

Abstract

High energy resolution spectroscopic studies of quantum magnets have proven to be extremely valuable in directly accessing magnetodynamics quantities, such as energy barriers, magnetic interactions, lifetime of excited states and fluctuations at the most fundamental level. Here, we explore the existence of a new flavor of low-energy spin-excitations for quantum spins coupled to an electron bath. In sharp contrast to the usual tunneling signature of two steps symmetrically centered around the Fermi level, we find a single step in the conductance. Combining time-dependent and many-body perturbation theories, magnetic field-dependent tunneling spectra are explained to be the result of an interplay between weak magnetic anisotropy energy, magnetic interactions and Stoner-like electron-hole excitations that are strongly dependent on the magnetic states of the studied nanostructures. We additionally map the evolution of the conductance peak in artificial nanostructures crafted atom-by-atom, which show clear evidence of spin-coupled behavior. The results are rationalized in terms of a non-collinear magnetic ground state and the dominance of ferro- and antiferromagnetic interactions. The atomically crafted nanomagnets offer an appealing model for the exploration of electrically pumped spin systems.