Itinerant Magnets on a Triangular Cu(111) Lattice

We investigate complex spin structures of frustrated two-dimensional Cr, Mn, and Fe monolayer magnets on a triangular lattice provided by the Cu(111) substrate. First we establish a zero-temperature phase diagram of possible spin structures on the basis of the classical Heisenberg model up to the third-nearest neighbor exchange interaction. Second we carried out first-principles total energy calculations on the basis of the vector-spin density formulation of the density functional theory using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FLAPW) method in film geometry for a set of complex non-collinear spin structures. We found, the ground state of Fe is ferromagnetic, Cr exhibits a coplanar, two-dimensional non-collinear 120 Néel state and Mn a three-dimensional non-collinear ground state, the 3Q-state. Incommensurate spin-spiral states are expected for a FeMn alloy on Cu(111). We employ the constrained local moment method to estimate the exchange parameters of the model Hamiltonians. We show that for Mn higher-order spin interactions are the origin of the 3Q-state for Mn. The combination of ab initio calculations and model Hamiltonians provides a powerful tool to investigate the magnetic structures of complex magnetic systems.     

Complex magnetism in ultra-thin films: atomic-scale spin structures and resolution by the spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope

In this paper we present a density functional theory investigation of complex magnetic structures in ultra-thin films. The focus is on magnetically frustrated antiferromagnetic Cr and Mn monolayers deposited on a triangular lattice provided by a Ag (111) substrate. This involves non-collinear magnetic structures, which we treat by first-principles calculations on the basis of the vector spin-density formulation of the density functional theory. We find for Cr/Ag (111) a coplanar non-collinear periodic 120° Néel structure, for Mn/Ag (111) a row-wise antiferromagnetic structure, and for Fe/Ag (111) a ferromagnetic structure as magnetic ground states. The spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope (SP–STM) operated in the constant-current mode is proposed as a powerful tool to investigate complex atomic-scale magnetic structures of otherwise chemically equivalent atoms. We discuss a recent application of this operation mode of the SP–STM on Mn/W (110), which led to the first observation of a two-dimensional antiferromagnet on a non-magnetic metal. The future potential of this approach is demonstrated by calculating SP–STM images for different magnetic structures of Cr/Ag (111). The results show that the predicted non-collinear magnetic ground state structure can clearly be discriminated from competing magnetic structures. A general discussion of the application of different operation modes of the SP–STM is presented on the basis of the model of Tersoff and Hamann. Received: 07 May 2001 / Accepted: 23 July 2001 / Published online: 3 April 2002     

Resolving complex atomic-scale spin structures by spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy

The spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope (SP-STM) operated in the constant current mode is proposed as a powerful tool to investigate complex atomic-scale magnetic structures of otherwise chemically equivalent atoms. The potential of this approach is demonstrated by successfully resolving the magnetic structure of Cr/Ag(111), which is predicted on the basis of ab initio vector spin-density calculations to be a coplanar noncollinear periodic 120 degrees Néel structure. Different operating modes of the SP-STM are discussed on the basis of the model of Tersoff and Hamann.     

Half-metallic magnetism of Co2CrX (X=As, Sb) Heusler compounds: An ab initio study

In this study, we present the electronic, magnetic, and structural properties of two novel half-metallic full-Heusler compounds, Co₂CrAs and Co₂CrSb, in cubic L2₁ geometry. The calculations are based on the density functional theory within plane-wave pseudopotential method and spin-polarized generalized gradient approximation of the exchange-correlation functional. The electronic band structures and density of states of the systems indicate half-metallic behavior with vanishing electronic density of states of minority spins at Fermi level, which yields perfect spin polarization. The calculated magnetic moments of both systems in L2₁ structure are 5.00 μ_B, which are largely localized on the chromium site. The energy gaps in minority spin states are restricted by the 3d-states of cobalt atoms on two different sublattices. The formation enthalpies for both structures are negative indicating stability of these systems against decomposition into stable solid compounds.     

A spin-selective approach for surface states at Co nanoislands

During recent years the surface electronic states of cobalt nanoislands grown on Cu(111) and Au(111) have been extensively studied and still yield fascinating results. Among magnetic surfaces, cobalt islands are particularly appealing because of their spin-polarized electronic states near the Fermi energy, involving localized d states of minority character, as well as free-like s–p states of majority character. We show here that these states are a sensitive probe to minute changes of structural details such as strain and stacking, and therefore constitute an ideal playground to study the interplay between structural and spin-related properties. Due to their size, cobalt islands on Cu(111) offer the additional opportunity to host single-magnetic adsorbates suitable for spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (SP-STM and SP-STS). We establish here that, in an energy interval just below the Fermi level, the spin-polarization of a transition-metal atom is governed by surface-induced states opposite in sign compared to the island, while the spin-polarization of Co-Phthalocyanine molecules is governed by molecular states. This opens up interesting perspectives for controlling and engineering spin-polarized phenomena at the nanoscale.     

阻挫三角反铁磁AgCrO2螺旋自旋序的第一性原理研究

基于密度泛函理论的广义梯度近似(GGA)和投影缀加波(PAW)方法,分别从共线和非共线磁性结构出发,研究了自旋阻挫三角反铁磁AgCrO₂的基态、磁性以及电子结构,从理论计算的角度给出了基态磁性结构.计算结果表明:AgCrO₂具有120°螺旋自旋序反铁磁基态,其自旋螺旋面平行于(110)面或(11^-0)面;由于Cr离子间的自旋几何阻挫,导致沿晶体的a,b和a+b方向上均形成了螺旋自旋转动角为120°的 关键词： 第一性原理 交换相互作用 阻挫 反铁磁     

Spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy with antiferromagnetic probe tips

We have performed low temperature spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (SP-STM) of two monolayers Fe on W(110) using tungsten tips coated with different magnetic materials. We observe stripe domains with a magnetic period of 50 +/- 5 nm. Employing Cr as a coating material we recorded SP-STM images with an antiferromagnetic probe tip. The advantage of its vanishing dipole field is most apparent in external magnetic fields. This new approach resolves the problem of the disturbing influence of a ferromagnetic tip in the investigation of soft magnetic materials and superparamagnetic particles.     

第一性原理研究四元Heusler合金TiZrCoIn (100) 的表面结构、磁性及自旋极化率

本文利用第一性原理计算方法,对具有半金属性的四元Heusler合金TiZrCoIn两个不同终端表面效应进行了理论研究,主要针对表面效应对其结构、磁性、电子结构、自旋极化率及半金属性的影响来展开调研,以便寻求适合于隧道结的表面材料,为后续相关理论研究及实验提供一定参考。研究结果显示,两终端表面不同原子分别发生了不同程度的伸缩,同层原子发生错位,致使表面原子间距改变,进而改变它们之间的杂化作用,同时也影响着原子的磁矩。另外通过分析其态密度,发现TiCo-(100)和ZrIn-(100)两个终端表面由于受到表面效应的影响,其电子结构发生了很大的改变。块体TiZrCoIn原有的宽带隙和半金属性被表面态所破坏,但仍然保留着很高的自旋极化率,尤其是ZrIn-(100)终端表面,其费米面处呈现几乎100%的自旋极化率。     

Heusler合金Co2MnAl(100)表面电子结构、磁性和自旋极化的第一性原理研究

基于第一性原理计算方法系统地研究了L2₁和B2结构下的Heusler合金Co₂MnAl(100)表面原子的原子弛豫、电子结构、磁性和自旋极化行为. L2₁和B2结构的Co₂MnAl(100)表面由于Co–Mn和Co–Al的成键差异, 使得不同原子分别发生不同程度的伸缩. 与块体相比, Co和Mn原子的自旋磁矩由于表面效应而明显增大, 电子结构计算显示L2₁结构块体中的带隙被表面态破坏, 表面效应使得两种结构的CoCo端面自旋极化率降低, 但MnAl端面并未受到显著影响, 呈现了较大的自旋极化, 预测其在隧道结中可能具有很好的应用潜力.     

自旋极化扫描隧道显微镜的研究进展

自旋极化扫描隧道显微镜(spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope,SP-STM)将扫描隧道显微镜(scanning tunneling microscope,STM)的实空间分辨率和对自旋敏感的磁成像技术结合起来,已经成为人们研究纳米磁性物理的最有效工具之一.文章介绍了SP-STM的工作原理及其在低维磁性物理领域的应用和最新进展,如对磁性薄膜、磁性纳米岛、磁性原子及不共线结构的研究等,并对我国在这一领域的研究现状和发展前景进行简要评述.     

Atomic-scale magnetic domain walls in quasi-one-dimensional Fe nanostripes

Fe nanostripes on W(110) are investigated by Kerr magnetometry and spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (SP-STM). An Arrhenius law is observed for the temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility indicating a one-dimensional magnetic behavior. The activation energy for creating antiparallel spin blocks indicates extremely narrow domain walls with a width on a length scale of the lattice constant. This is confirmed by imaging the domain wall by SP-STM. This information allows the quantification of the exchange stiffness and the anisotropy constant.     

Magnetic properties of Co–Si alloy clusters

We have investigated the electronic structure and the magnetic properties of Co–Si alloy clusters using ab initio spin-polarized density functional calculations. The possible CoSi₂, CoSi, and Co₂Si phase clusters with oblique hexagon prism, icosahedron, and cuboctahedron structures are introduced. The CoSi phase cluster with icosahedron structure has the largest binding energy and amount of charge transfer. We found that HOMO-LUMO gap, magnetic moment, and spin polarization for the Co–Si alloy clusters with icosahedron structure increase with Co concentration. The Si atoms in the CoSi phase with icosahedron structure have negative magnetic moment.     

Visualizing the spin of individual cobalt-phthalocyanine molecules

Low-temperature spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy is employed to study spin transport across single cobalt-phthalocyanine molecules adsorbed on well-characterized magnetic nanoleads. A spin-polarized electronic resonance is identified over the center of the molecule and exploited to spatially resolve stationary spin states. These states reflect two molecular spin orientations and, as established by density functional calculations, originate from a ferromagnetic molecule-lead exchange interaction.     

Conical spin-spiral state in an ultrathin film driven by higher-order spin interactions

We report a transverse conical spin spiral as the magnetic ground state of a double-layer Mn on a W(110) surface. Using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, we find a long-range modulation along the [001] direction with a periodicity of 2.4 nm coexisting with a local row-wise antiferromagnetic contrast. First-principles calculations reveal a transverse conical spin-spiral ground state of this system which explains the observed magnetic contrast. The canting of the spins is induced by higher-order exchange interactions, while the spiraling along the [001] direction is due to frustrated Heisenberg exchange and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction.     

Surface spin-polarized currents generated in topological insulators by circularly polarized synchrotron radiation and their photoelectron spectroscopy indication

A new method for generating spin-polarized currents in topological insulators has been proposed and investigated. The method is associated with the spin-dependent asymmetry of the generation of holes at the Fermi level for branches of topological surface states with the opposite spin orientation under the circularly polarized synchrotron radiation. The result of the generation of holes is the formation of compensating spin-polarized currents, the value of which is determined by the concentration of the generated holes and depends on the specific features of the electronic and spin structures of the system. The indicator of the formed spin-polarized current can be a shift of the Fermi edge in the photoelectron spectra upon photoexcitation by synchrotron radiation with the opposite circular polarization. The topological insulators with different stoichiometric compositions (Bi_1.5Sb_0.5Te_1.8Se_1.2 and PbBi₂Se₂Te₂) have been investigated. It has been found that there is a correlation in the shifts and generated spin-polarized currents with the specific features of the electronic spin structure. Investigations of the graphene/Pt(111) system have demonstrated the possibility of using this method for other systems with a spin-polarized electronic structure.     

Spin-polarized electron scattering at single oxygen adsorbates on a magnetic surface

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) on the system of isolated oxygen atoms adsorbed on the double layer of Fe on W(110) shows highly anisotropic spatial oscillations in the local density of states in the vicinity of the adsorbates. We explain this in terms of a single-particle model as electron waves being scattered by the potential induced by the presence of the oxygen atoms. Analysis of the wavelength of the standing electron waves and comparison with ab initio spin-resolved electronic structure calculations reveal that minority-spin bands of d-like symmetry are involved in the scattering process. By applying spin-polarized STS, we observe this standing wave pattern on one particular type of magnetic domain of Fe on W(110) only, thereby proving that the standing electron waves are highly spin polarized.     

Atomic-scale spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy applied to Mn3N2(010)

Atomic-scale spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy is demonstrated in the case of the unique surface spin structure of Mn3N2(010) at 300 K. We find that the surface spin structure is manifested as a modulation of the normal atomic row height profile. The atomic-scale spin-polarized image is thus shown to contain two components, one the normal, nonpolarized part, and the other the magnetic, spin-polarized part. A method is presented for separating these two spatially correlated components, and the results are compared with simulations based on integrated local spin density of states calculated from first principles.     

First-principles investigation of the electronic structure and magnetism of Heusler alloys CoMnSb and Co2MnSb

The spin-polarized electronic band structures, density of states (DOS), and magnetic properties of Co-Mn-based Heusler alloys CoMnSb and Co₂MnSb have been studied by first-principles method. The calculations were performed by using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) within the spin-polarized density functional theory and generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Calculated electronic band structures and the density of states are discussed in terms of the contribution of Co 3d⁷4s², Mn 3d⁵4s², and Sb 5s²5p³ partial density of states and the spin magnetic moments were also calculated. The results reveal that both CoMnSb and Co₂MnSb have stable ferromagnetic ground state. They are ideal half-metallic (HM) ferromagnet at their equilibrium lattice constants. The calculated total spin magnetic moments are 3μ_B for CoMnSb and 6μ_B for Co₂MnSb per unit cell, which agree with the Slater-Pauling rule quite well.     

Electronic structure and specific features of the magnetic state of a Fe52 nanotube with an internal Si5 quantum dot

Using the method of scattered waves and a spin-polarized potential, the spectrum of electronic states is calculated for an iron nanotube consisting of 52 atoms and having a Si₅ quantum dot inside. The specific features of the electronic structure and the distribution of local magnetic moments in this heterostructure are discussed.     

Metal-Oxide Interfaces in Magnetic Tunnel Junctions

Metal-oxide interfaces play an important role in spintronics—a new area of microelectronics that exploits spin of electrons in addition to the traditional charge degree of freedom to enhance the performance of existing semiconductor devices. Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) consisting of spin-polarized ferromagnetic electrodes sandwiching an insulating barrier are such promising candidates of spintronic devices. The paper reviews recent results of first-principle density-functional studies of the atomic and electronic structure of metal-oxide interfaces in Co/Al₂O₃/Co and Co/SrTiO₃/Co MTJs. The most stable interface structures, O-terminated for fcc Co (111)/-alumina(0001) and TiO₂-terminated with oxygens on top of Co atoms for fcc Co (001)/SrTiO₃(001) were identified based on energetics of metal-oxide cohesion at the interface. The covalent character of bonding for both the Co/alumina and Co/SrTiO₃ interface structures has been determined based on the pattern of electron distribution across the interface. The Al-terminated Co/alumina interface that corresponds to an under-oxidized MTJ exhibits a metallic character of bonding. The unusual charge transfer process coupled with exchange interactions of electrons in Co results in quenching of surface magnetism at the interface and substantial reduction of work of separation. The electronic structure of the O-terminated Co/Al₂O₃/Co MTJ exhibits negative spin polarization at the Fermi energy within the first few monolayers of alumina but it eventually becomes positive for distances beyond 10 Å. The Co/SrTiO₃/Co MTJ shows an exchange coupling between the interface Co and Ti atoms mediated by oxygen, which results in an antiparallely aligned induced magnetic moment on Ti atoms. This may lead to a negative spin polarization of tunneling across the SrTiO₃ barrier from the Co electrode. The results illustrate the important fact that spin-polarized tunneling in magnetic tunnel junctions is not determined entirely by bulk density of states of ferromagnet electrodes, but is also very sensitive to the nature of the insulating tunneling barrier, as well as the atomic structure and bonding at the ferromagnet/insulator interface.