Review of NMR and mu SR studies in the molecular nanomagnet Mn12-ac

We present a comprehensive review of the NMR and mu SR studies performed in the molecular nanomagnet Mn12 a system characterized and widely studied by Prof. Gatteschi's group in Florence. The proton (H-1, D-2) NMR, the Mn-55 NMR and the mu SR investigations have yielded important information regarding both static and dynamic magnetic properties of the molecule. The magnetic and quadrupole hyperfine interactions have been extracted from NMR data. The spin dynamics at high and intermediate temperature associated with the zero dimensionality and with the spin-phonon coupling has been studied together with the spin dynamics in the quantum tunneling low temperature regime. The local spin configuration in the giant S = 10 total spin ground state has been determined via 55Mn NMR in zero magnetic field and with fields parallel and perpendicular to the anisotropy axis. Finally a novel method is described to monitor the relaxation of the magnetization from the time evolution of the NMR spectrum. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.