Physics & Astronomy Charles Collett, Amherst College: "Exploring Clock Transitions in Molecular Nanomagnets"

Molecular nanomagnets combine the simplicity of an isolated spin with the accessibility of a large spin ensemble and are currently being widely explored for possible quantum computing applications. Clock transitions (avoided crossings) in these molecules are of interest due to their suppression of field dependence, leading to an enhancement of spin coherence times. I will present recent work in our group on two particular nanomagnets, Cr7Mn and Ni4, demonstrating the effects of reduced field dependence around an avoided crossing through electron spin resonance (ESR). I will also discuss a novel method for characterizing certain avoided crossings by combining dilution, another method for increasing coherence times, with ESR using custom resonators.