6533b7d9fe1ef96bd126b8fd
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Brief encounter at the molecular level: what muons tell us about molecule-based magnets
Francis L. PrattEugenio CoronadoJamie L. MansonJoése R. Galán-mascarósStephen J. BlundellM. L. BrooksRichard E. P. WinpennyTom LancasterCyril Cadiousubject
PhysicsMuonSpin polarizationMagnetismMechanical EngineeringMetals and AlloysMuon spin spectroscopyCondensed Matter PhysicsElectronic Optical and Magnetic MaterialsMagnetic fieldNuclear physicsFerromagnetismMechanics of MaterialsMagnetMaterials ChemistryPhysics::Accelerator PhysicsMolecule-based magnetsdescription
Abstract Spin-polarized muons can be implanted in various molecular magnetic materials in order to measure static and dynamic magnetic field distributions at a local level. The positively-charged muon is an unstable, radioactive particle which has spin–1/2, a lifetime of 2.2 μ S , about one-ninth of the proton mass and a magnetic moment of approximately 1/200 μ B . Both pulsed and continuous beams of muons can be produced with almost 100% spin polarization and significant intensity at various accelerator facilities. The subsequent decay of the muon into a positron allows the extraction of the muon-spin autocorrelation function which can be related to the magnetic field distribution inside a sample. This experimental technique has found particular application to the problem of hydrogen in semiconductors, as well as the study of the vortex lattice in both high-temperature and organic superconductors. Nevertheless, it has been most widely employed in the field of magnetism. We describe how our experiments using spin-polarized muons have been used to provide information about organic ferromagnets, molecular magnets, spin-chains and single molecule magnets.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-09-20 | Synthetic Metals |