Remnant magnetization of Fe8 high-spin molecules: X-ray magnetic circular dichroism at 300 mK

Fe8 high-spin molecules exhibit quantum spin tunneling at very low temperatures. Eight Fe3+ ions are sixfold coordinated and magnetically coupled through oxygen bridges. The net magnetization (MS=20 μB per molecule) results from competing antiferromagnetic interactions between the various Fe3+ ions (S=5/2). Because of the structural anisotropy of these molecules, the magnetization curve presents a hysteresis loop with staircases below 2 K. The staircases of the hysteresis loop are due to the quantum spin tunneling, which is temperature dependent for 400 mK