Between Quantum and Classical: Evolution of Electron Magnetic Resonance with Growth of a Spin System Size. Issue 1636 (2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bates, Brittany; Hilton, James; Bonner, Carl; Noginova, Natalia
• Is Part Of: MRS proceedings. Issue 1636:(2014)
• Publication Date: 2014
• Subjects: magnetic, -- ferromagnetic, -- magnetic properties; Electrical engineering -- Congresses; Physics -- Congresses; Materials -- Research -- Congresses; Materials science -- Congresses; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1557/opl.2014.21
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0272-9172

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Systems with a single or several coupled electron spins are commonly described with the quantum approach while ferromagnetic domains with millions of coupled spins are classical systems. Large spin clusters and superparamagnetic nanoparticles contain hundreds of coupled electron spins, and are on the boundary between classical and quantum behavior. Electron magnetic resonance observed in ultra-fine iron oxide nanoparticles (∼ 5 nm size) reveals several features which are typical for paramagnetic spins and absent in macroscopic systems, including multiple quantum transitions observed at H0 /n, where n = 2, 3, 4 and H0 is the field of the main resonance. In order to better understand the transition from quantum to classical behavior and magnetization dynamics at the nanoscale, we study the evolution of the EMR signal with increase of the particle size in suspensions of magnetite nanoparticles. The experimental data are compared with numerical simulations.