Self-organized patterns of macroscopic quantum tunneling in molecular magnets

We study low temperature resonant spin tunneling in molecular magnets induced by a field sweep with account of dipole-dipole interactions. Numerical simulations uncovered formation of self-organized patterns of the magnetization and of the ensuing dipolar field that provide resonant condition inside a finite volume of the crystal. This effect is robust with respect to disorder and should be relevant to the dynamics of the magnetization steps observed in molecular magnets.Comment: 4 Phys. Rev. pages, 5 figure

Renormalization of the tunnel splitting in a rotating nanomagnet

We study spin tunneling in a magnetic nanoparticle with biaxial anisotropy that is free to rotate about its anisotropy axis. Exact instanton of the coupled equations of motion is found that connects degenerate classical energy minima. We show that mechanical freedom of the particle renormalizes magnetic anisotropy and increases the tunnel splitting.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Macroscopic Quantum Tunneling in Small Antiferromagnetic Particles: Effects of a Strong Magnetic Field

We consider an effect of a strong magnetic field on the ground state and macroscopic coherent tunneling in small antiferromagnetic particles with uniaxial and biaxial single-ion anisotropy. We find several tunneling regimes that depend on the direction of the magnetic field with respect to the anisotropy axes. For the case of a purely uniaxial symmetry and the field directed along the easy axis, an exact instanton solution with two different scales in imaginary time is constructed. For a rhombic anisotropy the effect of the field strongly depends on its orientation: with the field increasing, the tunneling rate increases or decreases for the field parallel to the easy or medium axis, respectively. The analytical results are complemented by numerical simulations.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure

Theory of magnetic deflagration

Theory of magnetic deflagration (avalanches) in crystals of molecular magnets has been developed. The phenomenon resembles the burning of a chemical substance, with the Zeeman energy playing the role of the chemical energy. Non-destructive reversible character of magnetic deflagration, as well as the possibility to continuously tune the flammability of the crystal by changing the magnetic field, makes molecular magnets an attractive toy system for a detailed study of the burning process. Besides simplicity, new features, as compared to the chemical burning, include possibility of quantum decay of metastable spin states and strong temperature dependence of the heat capacity and thermal conductivity. We obtain analytical and numerical solutions for criteria of the ignition of magnetic deflagration, and compute the ignition rate and the speed of the developed deflagration front.Comment: 17 Pages, 17 Figure caption

Single magnetic molecule between conducting leads: Effect of mechanical rotations

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.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

On governing equations for crack layer propagation

Results of analysis on damage distribution of a crack layer, in a model material, supported the self-similarity hypothesis of damage evolution which has been adopted by the crack layer theory. On the basis of measurements of discontinuity density and the double layer potential technique, a solution to the crack damage interaction problem has been developed. Evaluation of the stress intensity factor illustrated the methodology. Analysis of experimental results showed that Arrhenius type constitutive relationship described very well the expansion of the active zone of a crack layer

Translational and extensional energy release rates (the J- and M-integrals) for a crack layer in thermoelasticity

A number of papers have been presented on the evaluation of energy release rate for thermoelasticity and corresponding J integral. Two main approaches were developed to treat energy release rate in elasticity. The first is based on direct calculation of the potential energy rate with respect to crack length. The second makes use of Lagrangian formalism. The translational and expansional energy release rates in thermoelasticity are studied by employing the formalism of irreversible thermodynamics and the Crack Layer Approach