A theoretical STM study of Co_{n}/Pt(111)

Peter Weinberger (1)

1 Center for Computational Nanoscience

It is found that by stacking together a sample plus substrate subsystem separated by a vacuum barrier from a tip plus lead subsystem the restriction posed by Density Functional Theory of a common Fermi level for the whole system can be overcome reasonably well. Based on this approximation by means of the spin-polarized (fully) relativistic Screened Korringa-Kohn-Rostocker method and an equivalent Kubo equation theoretical spin-polarized STM spectra for Pt(111)/Co_{n}/Cr₁₅W₂₂/Cu(111) are evaluated in terms of difference conductivities as a function of the corresponding free energy with respect to a perpendicular orientation of the magnetization. These difference conductivities are interpreted using local difference conductivities in order to indicate which parts of the sample dominate changes in the tunneling current caused by changing the orientation of the magnetization. Also shown are estimates of the time scales to switch from perpendicular to in-plane and vice versa. All investigated properties suggest that different situations have to be encountered when the number of Co layers on top of Pt(111) is increased from one to three.

Mots clés: Physical Sciences

Domaines: Matière Condensée [cond-mat]

Peter Weinberger. A theoretical STM study of Co_{n}/Pt(111). Philosophical Magazine, 2011, pp.1. ⟨10.1080/14786435.2010.544686⟩. ⟨hal-00665449⟩