Evaluation of sample spin-polarization from spin-polarized scanning tunneling spectroscopy experiments

✍ Scribed by T.K. Yamada; A.L. Vázquez de Parga; M.M.J. Bischoff; T. Mizoguchi; H. van Kempen

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 920 KB
• Volume: 66
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1059-910X
• DOI: 10.1002/jemt.20149

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Spin‐polarized scanning tunneling microscopy has produced a great amount of images presenting magnetic contrast between different magnetic domains with an unsurpassed spatial resolution but getting values like the surface polarization has proven to be a difficult task. We will discuss in detail how to extract this information for the case of manganese layers grown on Fe(001) whiskers. Mn layers adopt a body‐centered‐tetragonal (bct) structure when they are grown on the Fe(001) surface at room temperature. The Mn layers show an antiferromagnetic coupling between the layers. Comparing our spin‐polarized scanning tunneling spectra measured with Fe‐coated W tips with spin‐resolved band structure calculations, we are able to find the value of the sample surface polarization. Also discussed is a method to change the tip magnetization. Finally, the magnetic structure around a screw dislocation on the surface is reviewed. Microsc. Res. Tech. 66:93–104, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.