https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/s10051-021-00073-3
Regular Article - Solid State and Materials
Supersymmetric spin–phonon coupling prevents odd integer spins from quantum tunneling
1
Fakultät für Physik, Universität Bielefeld, Postfach 100131, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany
2
Fachbereich Physik, Universität Osnabrück, 49069, Osnabrück, Germany
Received:
27
January
2021
Accepted:
27
February
2021
Published online:
23
March
2021
Quantum tunneling of the magnetization is a phenomenon that impedes the use of small anisotropic spin systems for storage purposes even at the lowest temperatures. Phonons, usually considered for temperature dependent relaxation of magnetization over the anisotropy barrier, also contribute to magnetization tunneling for integer spin quantum numbers. Here we demonstrate that certain spin–phonon Hamiltonians are unexpectedly robust against the opening of a tunneling gap, even for strong spin–phonon coupling. The key to understanding this phenomenon is provided by an underlying supersymmetry that involves both spin and phonon degrees of freedom.
© The Author(s) 2021
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