Regensburg 2007 – wissenschaftliches Programm

Bereiche | Tage | Auswahl | Suche | Downloads | Hilfe

MA: Fachverband Magnetismus

MA 28: Surface Magnetism

MA 28.12: Vortrag

Donnerstag, 29. März 2007, 18:00–18:15, H23

First-principles calculations of domain-wall orientations: Double-layer Fe on W(110) — •Marcus Heide, Gustav Bihlmayer, and Stefan Blügel — IFF, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany

A double layer of Fe atoms deposited on the W(110) surface exhibits ferromagnetic domains. These domains form long stripes that are predominantly aligned along a certain crystallographic direction. The mesoscopic shape (step edges, etc.) of the sample hardly influences the domain pattern [e.g. 1,2]. In order to understand this anisotropic behavior in more detail, we compare the energies of differently oriented domain walls with the aid of ab initio calculations. These calculations show, that the preferred wall orientation cannot be ascribed to the anisotropy of the spin stiffness. Instead, we identify the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction as the reason for the observed wall orientation. This interaction appears in structures without inversion symmetry, e.g. on surfaces. Thus, it is of particular importance in ultrathin surface films like in the studied system. This work is supported by DFG, grant BI 823/1-1.

[1] Bode et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 237205 (2002)

[2] Vedmedenko et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 077207 (2004)