Observing spin polarization of individual magnetic adatoms

We have used spin-polarized scanning tunneling spectroscopy to observe the spin polarization state of individual Fe and Cr atoms adsorbed onto Co nanoislands. These magnetic adatoms exhibit stationary out-of-plane spin polarization, but have opposite sign of the exchange coupling between electron states of the adatom and the Co island surface state: Fe adatoms exhibit parallel spin polarization to the Co surface state while Cr adatoms exhibit antiparallel spin polarization. First-principles calculations predict ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic alignment of the spin moment for individual Fe and Cr adatoms on a Co film, respectively, implying negative spin polarization for Fe and Cr adatoms over the energy range of the Co surface state.     

Observation of a high spin polarization of secondary electrons from single crystal Fe and Co

The spin polarization of secondary electrons with nearly zero kinetic energy from Fe (100) and Co (10$\text{1}$0), excited with photons of energy between 20 and 60 eV, was found to be 45%±5% for Fe and 35%±5% for Co. This value is higher than the average valence band spin polarization P_b=n_b/n=2.2/8=27% and 1.7/9=19% for Fe and Co, respectively. With increasing kinetic energy, the spin polarization of the secondaries decreases to the value of P_b within the first 5 eV, remaining constant (within statistical error) at higher kinetic energies. As a spin dependent scattering process we propose excitations within the d-bands, which can be shown to be asymmetric with respect to the electron spin. The high net spin polarization of the slowest emitted electrons is obtained by filtering out monitory-spin electrons at the vacuum barrier.     

Effect of Coulomb repulsion on spin and orbital magnetism of cobalt–benzene complex: A relativistic density functional study

We have demonstrated electronic configurations and magnetic properties of single Co adatom on benzene (Bz) molecule in the framework of relativistic density functional theory. A sequence of fixed spin moment (FSM) calculations were carried out with and without Coulomb repulsion (U). We have investigated that varying the strength of Coulomb repulsion results to different equilibrium positions for the Co adatom on benzene molecule. It was shown that inclusion of the on-site Coulomb repulsion in the Co 3d orbitals affects significantly the geometry of Co–Bz complex. We also found two stable low-spin and high-spin multiplicities for the complex. The nature of the high-spin configuration was explained according to the Hubbard electron–electron correlation in 3d shell of the Co adatom. Our FSM results indicate that the high-spin state is a global minimum in the presence of Hubbard parameter U. The relativistic spin–orbit coupling and using orbital polarization correction induce considerable orbital magnetism in both low and high spin states of the Co–Bz complex. We have also calculated magnetic anisotropy energies for two spin states and we found out that an out-of-plane magnetic orientation of Co adatom is more favorable in the low spin state whereas the Coulomb repulsion (U = 2 eV and U = 4 eV) predicts an in-plane magnetic orientation for Co adatom. Our findings can be implicitly taken into account for the extended system of added single Co atom on graphene.     

Substrate-induced magnetism in BN layer: A first-principles study

We predict an accepted configuration of hexagonal boron nitride (BN) layer on Co(111) surface by first-principles calculations. The calculated adsorption energy of this configuration is around −0.51 eV with a corrugation close to 0.1 Å. Polarized spin states are induced in BN layer due to the hybridization of the BN layer with the substrate Co, which gives rise to a magnetic moment of 0.2 μB on each pair of BN. The finding of high spin polarization on the absorbed BN layer ensures a high degree of passage of the preferred spin and is important in the development of nanoscale devices for spintronics applications.     

Spin filtering of free electrons by magnetic multilayers: towards an efficient self-calibrated spin polarimeter

An asymmetrical ferromagnetic cobalt bilayer (18 nm Au/0.8 nm Co/2.2 nm Au/1.3 nm Co/1.5 nm Au) operates as a self-calibrated spin polarimeter with a high spin selectivity for free electrons injected at a few eV above the Fermi level. We present the analysis of transmitted currents as a function of the incident energy, based on a model of spin polarization dilution into the first gold layer and ballistic transport close to the vacuum level throughout the sample.     

Ir(111) surface state with giant Rashba splitting persists under graphene in air

We reveal a giant Rashba effect (α(R)≈1.3 eV??) on a surface state of Ir(111) by angle-resolved photoemission and by density functional theory. It is demonstrated that the existence of the surface state, its spin polarization, and the size of its Rashba-type spin-orbit splitting remain unaffected when Ir is covered with graphene. The graphene protection is, in turn, sufficient for the spin-split surface state to survive in ambient atmosphere. We discuss this result along with indications for a topological protection of the surface state.     

Ab initio study of mirages and magnetic interactions in quantum corrals

The state of the art ab initio calculations of quantum mirages, the spin polarization of surface-state electrons, and the exchange interaction between magnetic adatoms in Cu and Co corrals on Cu(111) are presented. We find that the spin polarization of the surface-state electrons caused by magnetic adatoms can be projected to a remote location and can be strongly enhanced in corrals, compared to an open surface. Our studies give clear evidence that quantum corrals could permit one to tailor the exchange interaction between magnetic adatoms at large separations.     

Approaching the ground state of the kagomé antiferromagnet

Y0.5Ca0.5BaCo4O7 contains kagomé layers of Co ions, whose spins are strongly coupled, with a Curie-Weiss temperature of -2200 K. At low temperature, T=1.2 K, our diffuse neutron scattering study with polarization analysis reveals characteristic spin correlations close to a predicted two-dimensional coplanar ground state with staggered chirality. The absence of three-dimensional long-range antiferromagnetic order indicates negligible coupling between the kagomé layers. The scattering intensities are consistent with high spin S=3/2 states of Co2+ in the kagomé layers and low spin S=0 states for Co3+ ions on interlayer sites. Our observations agree with previous Monte Carlo simulations indicating a ground state of effectively short range, staggered chiral spin order.     

Three-dimensional, spin-resolved structure of magnetic vortex and antivortex states in patterned Co films using scanning ion microscopy with polarization analysis

Scanning ion microscopy with polarization analysis is utilized for three-dimensional spin mapping of the surface magnetization (SM) of circular Co dots created in situ by focused ion beam etching of 30 nm thin Co/Si(100) films. From 3D scanning ion microscopy with polarization analysis spin maps, direct evidence is found for the existence of vortex-antivortex states with in-plane circular or hyperbolic SM components and a wide core with perpendicular SM components which oscillate in the outer region and become zero.     

Enhancement of spin-orbit torque efficiency by tailoring interfacial spin-orbit coupling in Pt-based magnetic multilayers

We study inserting Co layer thickness-dependent spin transport and spin-orbit torques (SOTs) in the Pt/Co/Py trilayers by spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance. The interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (IPMA) energy density ($K_{\rm s}= 2.7 $ erg/cm$^{2}$, 1 erg = 10$^{-7}$ J), which is dominated by interfacial spin-orbit coupling (ISOC) in the Pt/Co interface, total effective spin-mixing conductance $(G_{\mathrm{eff,tot}}^{\mathrm{\uparrow \downarrow }}=\mathrm{0.42\times }{10}^{15} \mathrm{\Omega }^{-1}\cdot\mathrm{m}^{-2}$) and two-magnon scattering ($\beta_{\mathrm{TMS}}= 0.46 {\mathrm{nm}}^{2}$) are first characterized, and the damping-like torque ($\xi_{\mathrm{DL}}= 0.103$) and field-like torque ($\xi _{\mathrm{FL}}=-0.017$) efficiencies are also calculated quantitatively by varying the thickness of the inserting Co layer. The significant enhancement of $\xi_{\mathrm{DL}}$ and $\xi_{\mathrm{FL}}$ in Pt/Co/Py than Pt/Py bilayer system originates from the interfacial Rashba-Edelstein effect due to the strong ISOC between Co-3d and Pt-5d orbitals at the Pt/Co interface. Additionally, we find a considerable out-of-plane spin polarization SOT, which is ascribed to the spin anomalous Hall effect and possible spin precession effect due to IPMA-induced perpendicular magnetization at the Pt/Co interface. Our results demonstrate that the ISOC of the Pt/Co interface plays a vital role in spin transport and SOTs-generation. Our finds offer an alternative approach to improve the conventional SOTs efficiencies and generate unconventional SOTs with out-of-plane spin polarization to develop low power Pt-based spintronic via tailoring the Pt/FM interface.     

Surface states of cobalt nanoislands on Cu111

The electronic structure of thin Co nanoislands on Cu(111) has been investigated below and above the Fermi level (E(F)) by scanning tunneling spectroscopy at low temperature. Two surface related electronic states are found: a strong localized peak 0.31 eV below E(F) and a mainly unoccupied dispersive state, giving rise to quantum interference patterns of standing electron waves on the Co surface. Ab initio calculations reveal that the electronic states are spin polarized, originating from d3(z(2)-r(2))-minority and sp-majority bands, respectively.     

A new spin effect in photoemission with unpolarized light: Experimental evidence of spin polarized electrons in normal emission from Pt(111) and Au(111)

Unpolarized light ejects spin polarized electrons from Pt(111) and Au(111) even if the electron emission occurs normal to the surface. For off normal incidence of 11.8 eV, 16.9 eV, and 21.2 eV radiation, and for the main peaks in the photoemission spectra, a degree of spin polarization of up to 30% or more is found for the spin polarization component P _y perpendicular to the reaction plane. A crystal rotation about its surface normal does not change P _y . P _y is largest for transitions from bands with symmetry ₆ ³ . All these experimental findings agree with a recent theoretical prediction [1] of a new spin effect by Tamura and Feder.     

Spin-resolved photoemission study of in situ grown epitaxial Fe layers on W(110)

Spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy of in situ grown epitaxial Fe layers on W(110) shows bulk-like behavior for more than two atomic Fe layers. For about ten and more atomic layers of Fe we find a spin polarization to be about -100% near the Fermi energy and +80 % between 1 eV and 3 eV binding energy. For the bilayer of Fe drastic changes in the spin-resolved spectra and a 20 % enhancement of the spin polarization compared to the bulk value are observed. The monolayer of Fe is ferromagnetically ordered with a spin polarization reduced by about 50%. A switching of the easy magnetization axis from [001] to [11̄0] is observed in the spin polarization with decreasing Fe layer thickness near d = (65±5) Å.     

Spin-resolved electronic structure of nanoscale cobalt islands on Cu(111)

Using spin-polarized scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we reveal how the standing wave patterns of confined surface state electrons on top of nanometer-scale ferromagnetic Co islands on Cu(111) are affected by the spin character of the responsible state, thus experimentally confirming a very recent theoretical result. Furthermore, at the rim of the islands a spin-polarized state is found giving rise to enhanced zero bias conductance. Its polarization is opposite to that of the islands. The experimental findings are in accordance with ab initio spin-density calculations.     

Theoretical spin polarization and intensity profiles in LEED from low-index surfaces of tungsten

Subsequent to the recent measurement of spin polarization effects in LEED, a relativistic LEED theory has been modified such as to facilitate computations for energies up to about 200 eV. Application to several low-index surfaces of tungsten yields intensity-energy profiles in good agreement with experiment. The calculated spin polarization profiles exhibit large maxima and show encouraging agreement with the as yet limited experimental data. Contraction of the top layer spacing with respect to the bulk spacing is found to produce drastic changes in parts of the polarization profiles. LEED spin polarization analysis could therefore provide a sensitive means of surface structure determination. Further, some polarization maxima coincide in energy with sizeable intensity values. This offers promising prospects for the construction of a low-energy spin polarization detector on a double diffraction basis and of an intense source of polarized electrons.     

Magnetic states at the oxygen surfaces of ZnO and Co-doped ZnO

First principles calculations of the O surfaces of Co-ZnO show that substitutional Co ions develop large magnetic moments which long-range order depends on their mutual distance. The local spin polarization induced at the O atoms is 3 times larger at the surface than in the bulk, and the surface stability is considerably reinforced by Co. Moreover, a robust ferromagnetic state is predicted at the O (0001) surface even in the absence of magnetic atoms, correlated with the number of p holes in the valence band of the oxide, and with a highly anisotropic distribution of the magnetic charge even in the absence of spin-orbit coupling.     

Spinpolarisation und differentielle Wirkungsquerschnitte bei der inelastischen Elektron-Atom-Streuung

Measurements of electron spin polarization resulting from inelastic electron scattering by mercury (excitation of the 6¹ P ₁ state, 6.7 eV energy loss) are reported. Differential cross sections and angular dependences of the polarization have been measured for incident energies of 25, 30, 50 and 180 eV.     

Spin polarization effect for Tc2 molecule

Density functional method (DFT) (B3p86) of Gaussian98 has been used to optimize the structure of the Tc_2 molecule. The result shows that the ground state for Tc_2 molecule is an 11-multiple state and its electronic configuration is {}^{11}Σ_g^-, which shows the spin polarization effect of Tc_2 molecule of a transition metal element for the first time. Meanwhile, we have not found any spin pollution because the wavefunction of the ground state does not mingle with wavefunctions of higher energy states. So, that the ground state for Tc_2 molecule is an 11-multiple state is indicative of the spin polarization effect of Tc_2 molecule of a transition metal element: that is, there exist 10 parallel spin electrons. The non-conjugated electron is greatest in number. These electrons occupy different spacious tracks, so that the energy of Tc_2 molecule is minimized. It can be concluded that the effect of parallel spin of the Tc_2 molecule is larger than the effect of the conjugated molecule, which is obviously related to the effect of electron d delocalization. In addition, the Murrell--Sorbie potential functions with the parameters for the ground state {}^{11}Σ_g^- and other states of Tc_2 molecule are derived. Dissociation energy D_e for the ground state of T_{c2} molecule is 2.266eV, equilibrium bond length R_e is 0.2841nm, vibration frequency ω_e is 178.52cm^{-1}. Its force constants f_2, f_3, and f_4 are 0.9200aJ·nm^{-2}, --3.5700aJ·nm^{-3}, 11.2748aJ·nm^{-4} respectively. The other spectroscopic data for the ground state of Tc_2 molecule ω_eχ_e, B_e, α_e are 0.5523cm^{-1}, 0.0426cm^{-1}, 1.6331×10^{-4}cm^{-1} respectively.     

A theoretical study of low-energy position diffraction

In an exploratory study of the diffraction of slow positrons from atoms and single-crystal surfaces, theoretical intensity and spin polarization results from a W crystal-atom and a W(001) surface are compared to corresponding electron diffraction results obtained with and without an exchange potential. In contrast to e^- diffraction, significant spin polarization effects are found for e⁺ only at energies above about 100 eV. The computing time for e⁺ is about half of the time required for e^-.     

Controlling the spin polarization of nanostructures on magnetic substrates

It is shown that, by utilizing spin-selective quantum interference, the spin polarization of nanostructures deposited on a magnetic substrate with a surface state can be strongly modulated locally and energetically by an appropriate structural design. This finding is deduced from state-of-the-art ab initio calculations and interpreted within an analytical model. We present results for hexagonal Cu corrals and mesoscopic triangular Co islands on Co-covered Cu(111). These systems are experimentally feasible, and the effect should be detectable with current technology.