Journal Article

PreJuSER-50607

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Scanning tunnelling microscopy of surfaces of half-metals: an ab-initio study on NiMnSb(001)

Lezaic, M.FZJ* ; Mavropoulos, P.FZJ* ; Bihlmayer, G.FZJ* ; Blügel, S.FZJ*

2006
IOP Publ. Bristol

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1088/0022-3727/39/5/S05

Abstract: We present a first-principles Study of the unreconstructed (001) surfaces of the half-metallic ferromagnet NiMnSb. Both terminations (MnSb and Ni) are considered. We find that half-metallicity is lost at the surfaces. After a discussion of the geometric relaxations and the spin-polarized surface band structure, we focus on topography images which are expected to be found with spin-polarized scanning tunnelling microscopy. For the MnSb-terrninated surface we find that only the Sb atoms are visible, reflecting a geometric buckling caused by relaxations. For the Ni-terminated surface we find a strong contrast between the images of forward and reverse tip-sample-bias of 0.5 eV, as well as a stripe-like image for reverse bias. We interpret these findings in terms of highly directional Surface states which are formed in the spin-down gap region.

Keyword(s): J

Note: Record converted from VDB: 12.11.2012

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Theorie I (IFF-TH-I)
2. Center of Nanoelectronic Systems for Information Technology (CNI)
3. Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance - Fundamentals of Future Information Technology (JARA-FIT)

Research Program(s):

1. Grundlagen für zukünftige Informationstechnologien (P42)

Appears in the scientific report 2006

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