Q-dependence of the inelastic neutron scattering cross section for molecular spin clusters with high molecular symmetry

摘要

For powder samples of polynuclear metal complexes the dependence of theinelastic neutron scattering intensity on the momentum transfer Q is known tobe described by a combination of so called interference terms. They reflect theinterplay between the geometrical structure of the compound and the spatialproperties of the wave functions involved in the transition. In this work, itis shown that the Q-dependence is strongly interrelated with the molecularsymmetry of molecular nanomagnets, and, if the molecular symmetry is highenough, is actually completely determined by it. A general formalism connectingspatial symmetry and interference terms is developed. The arguments aredetailed for cyclic spin clusters, as experimentally realized by e.g. theoctanuclear molecular wheel Cr8, and the star like tetranuclear cluster Fe4.