Quantum phase interference for quantum tunneling in spin systems

The point-particle-like Hamiltonian of a biaxial spin particle with externa l magnetic field along the hard axis is obtained in terms of the potential field description of spin systems with exact spin-coordinate correspondence . The Zeeman energy term turns out to be an effective gauge potential which leads to a nonintegrable phase of the Euclidean Feynman propagator. The ph ase interference between clockwise and anticlockwise under barrier propagat ions is recognized explicitly as the Aharonov-Bohm effect. An additional ph ase which is significant for quantum phase interference is discovered with the quantum theory of spin systems in addition to the known phase obtained with the semiclassical treatment of spin. We also show the energy dependenc e of the effect and obtain the tunneling splitting at excited states with t he help of periodic instantons.