Giant nonlinear magnetic response in a molecule-based magnet

Abstract

We observed a giant nonlinear magnetic response in a molecule-based magnet, $[\text{Cr}{(\text{CN})}_{6}][\text{Mn}(R)\text{-pnH}({\text{H}}_{2}\text{O})]({\text{H}}_{2}\text{O})$, in which single chiral ligands [$(R)$-pn's] construct intermolecular network. The giant nonlinear magnetic response occurs at slightly higher temperature side of the magnetic ordering temperature. The existence of giant nonlinear response yields quite strange shape of the superconducting quantum interference device response against ac magnetic field. This response does not appear in the racemic system involving two kinds of chiral ligands [$(R)$-pn and $(S)$-pn], suggesting that the crystallographic chirality plays a crucial role in the occurrence of the giant nonlinear response.