Regensburg 2010 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help

MA: Fachverband Magnetismus

MA 25: Surface Magnetism / Magnetic Imaging I

MA 25.10: Talk

Thursday, March 25, 2010, 12:30–12:45, H23

Inversion of Spin Polarization above Magnetic Adatoms — •Lihui Zhou, Focko Meier, Jens Wiebe, and Roland Wiesendanger — Hamburg University, Germany

The spin-resolved electronic structure of magnetic adatoms on surfaces is essential to the understanding of magnetism and the realization of magnetic devices at the atomic level. Here we present an investigation of the electronic density of states of Co adatoms on platinum(111) using spin-polarized scanning tunneling spectroscopy at cryogenic temperature. It revealed a pronounced spin-polarized resonance of majority character just below the Fermi energy in the vacuum above the adatoms, giving rise to a positive spin polarization at the Fermi energy. This is in contrast to atomically flat surfaces where minority states are dominating. The comparison to other Co nanostructures suggests that the inversion of the spin polarization is a unique property for single adatoms on surfaces.