Decoherence induced by hyperfine interactions with nuclearspins in antiferromagnetic molecular rings

Molecular magnets are effective few-level spin systems that allow for the observation of coherent dynamics. Electronic coherence is mainly limited by hyperfine interactions with nuclear spins. Here, we theoretically investigate the resulting inhomogeneous broadening and electron-nuclear entanglement: They take place on the nanosecond and microsecond time scales, respectively. Our microscopic description allows us to clarify the role played by the different chemical elements. The effect of spin echo and the dependence of decoherence on the magnetic field are also estimated. © 2008 The American Physical Society.