Proton NMR for Measuring Quantum-Level Crossing in the Magnetic Molecular Ring Fe10

TL;DR

This study uses proton NMR to detect quantum level crossing in the Fe10 molecular ring by observing relaxation rate enhancements, revealing a new method to explore quantum dynamics at energy level crossings.

Contribution

The paper introduces proton NMR as a novel technique to measure quantum level crossing phenomena in molecular magnetic rings, demonstrating its effectiveness in detecting quantum dynamical effects.

Findings

Enhanced 1/T1 near level crossings indicates cross-relaxation effects.

Proposed mechanism links nuclear relaxation to molecular energy level dynamics.

Method offers a new approach to study quantum phenomena in magnetic molecules.

Abstract

The proton nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T1 has been measured as a function of temperature and magnetic field (up to 15 T) in the molecular magnetic ring Fe10. Striking enhancement of 1/T1 is observed around magnetic field values corresponding to a crossing between the ground state and the excited states of the molecule. We propose that this is due to a cross-relaxation effect between the nuclear Zeeman reservoir and the reservoir of the Zeeman levels of the molecule. This effect provides a powerful tool to investigate quantum dynamical phenomena at level crossing.