Misfit-Induced Modification of Structure and Magnetism in O/Fe(001)-p(1 x 1)

W. Feng , H. L. Meyerheim , K. Mohseni , O. Brovko , V. S. Stepanyuk , N. Jedrecy (1) , R. Felici , J. Kirschner (2)

1 INSP - Institut des Nanosciences de Paris
2 MPI-HALLE - Max-Planck-Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik

The geometry of oxygen atoms in hollow sites of Fe nanoislands (empty set approximate to 1-2 nm) on Fe(001) is modified by mesoscopic misfit-induced relaxations of the island atoms. Surface x-ray diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, and ab initio calculations indicate a 0.3 angstrom increased adsorption height [0.7 angstrom versus 0.4 angstrom in O/Fe(001)-p(1 x 1)] of O atoms going in parallel with a reduced Fe-Fe layer spacing inducing a reduction of the surface magnetic moment (2.85 mu(B) versus 3.2 mu(B)). Our results demonstrate the importance of the mesoscopic misfit for surface physical properties in general.

Domaines: Matière Condensée [cond-mat]

W. Feng, H. L. Meyerheim, K. Mohseni, O. Brovko, V. S. Stepanyuk, et al.. Misfit-Induced Modification of Structure and Magnetism in O/Fe(001)-p(1 x 1). Physical Review Letters, 2013, 110 (23), pp.235503. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.235503⟩. ⟨hal-01237461⟩