6533b85efe1ef96bd12bfb89

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Quantum Spin-Tunneling:A Path Integral Approach

Rolf Schilling

subject

PhysicsSpin statesRelation between Schrödinger's equation and the path integral formulation of quantum mechanicsQuantum mechanicsQuantum processPath integral formulationSpin foamCondensed Matter::Strongly Correlated ElectronsGround stateSpin (physics)Spin quantum number

description

We investigate the quantum tunneling of a large spin in a crystal field and an external magnetic field. The twofold degeneracy of the corresponding classical ground state is removed due to tunneling. The tunnel splitting ΔE o of the ground state is calculated by use of a path integral formalism. It is shown that coherent spin state path integrals do not yield a reasonable result. However a “bosonlzation” of the spin system yields excellent results in the semiclassical limit. This result follows from the coherent spin state approach from replacing the spin quantum number s by s + 1/2 which causes a renormalization of the preexponential factor of ΔE o .

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
1995-01-01
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0403-6_3