Direct observation of electric field-induced magnetism in a molecular magnet

We report the direct observation of an electrically-induced magnetic susceptibility in the molecular nano- magnet [Fe3O(O2CPh)(6)(py)(3)]ClO4 center dot py, an Fe-3 trimer. This magnetoelectric effect results from the breaking of spatial inversion symmetry due to the spin configurations of the antiferromagnetic trimer. Both static and very low frequency electric fields were used. Fractional changes of the magnetic susceptibility of 11 ppb +/- 2 per kVm(-1) for the temperature range 8.5 < T < 13.5 K were observed for applied electric fields up to 62 kV m(-1). The changes in susceptibility were measured using a tunnel diode oscillator operating at liquid helium temperatures while the sample is held at a higher regulated temperature.

Automated summary

We report the observation of electrically-induced magnetic susceptibility in a molecular nano-magnet [Fe3O(O2CPh)(6)(py)(3)]ClO4 center dot py. This magnetoelectric effect is caused by spatial inversion symmetry breaking due to the spin configurations of the antiferromagnetic trimer. Both static and very low frequency electric fields were applied. The fractional changes in magnetic susceptibility of 11 ppb +/- 2 per kVm(-1) were measured for the temperature range 8.5 < T < 13.5 K with applied electric fields up to 62 kV m(-1), using a tunnel diode oscillator operating at liquid helium temperatures while the sample is held at a higher regulated temperature.