Jonathan Friedman: Single-molecule Nanomagnets

Jonathan Friedman, Amherst College

Abstract

A single-molecule magnet is – true to its name – a magnet composed of a single molecule. The magnetic moment of such a molecule shows hysteresis like a classical magnet, yet it can tunnel between different orientation states. I will review some of the basic properties of this interesting class of materials. I will focus in particular on their interaction with microwave radiation, which can induce coherent phenomena such as Rabi oscillations and collective coupling of an ensemble of these magnets to a resonant mode of a cavity (vacuum Rabi splitting). I will also discuss the prospects for using these systems for storage and processing of classical and quantum information.