Strong ferromagnetism at the surface of an antiferromagnet caused by buried magnetic moments

A. Chikina, M. Höppner, S. Seiro, K. Kummer, S. Danzenbächer, S. Patil, A. Generalov, M. Güttler, Yu. Kucherenko, E. V. Chulkov, Yu. M. Koroteev, K. Koepernik, C. Geibel, M. Shi, M. Radovic, C. Laubschat and D. V. Vyalikh ()
Additional contact information
A. Chikina: Institute of Solid State Physics, Dresden University of Technology, Zellescher Weg 16
M. Höppner: Institute of Solid State Physics, Dresden University of Technology, Zellescher Weg 16
S. Seiro: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids
K. Kummer: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 6 Rue Jules Horowitz
S. Danzenbächer: Institute of Solid State Physics, Dresden University of Technology, Zellescher Weg 16
S. Patil: Institute of Solid State Physics, Dresden University of Technology, Zellescher Weg 16
A. Generalov: Institute of Solid State Physics, Dresden University of Technology, Zellescher Weg 16
M. Güttler: Institute of Solid State Physics, Dresden University of Technology, Zellescher Weg 16
Yu. Kucherenko: Institute of Solid State Physics, Dresden University of Technology, Zellescher Weg 16
E. V. Chulkov: Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
Yu. M. Koroteev: Tomsk State University
K. Koepernik: Leibniz-Institut für Festkörper- und Werkstoffforschung Dresden
C. Geibel: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids
M. Shi: Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institut
M. Radovic: Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institut
C. Laubschat: Institute of Solid State Physics, Dresden University of Technology, Zellescher Weg 16
D. V. Vyalikh: Institute of Solid State Physics, Dresden University of Technology, Zellescher Weg 16

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Carrying a large, pure spin magnetic moment of 7 μB per atom in the half-filled 4f shell, divalent europium is an outstanding element for assembling novel magnetic devices in which a two-dimensional electron gas may be polarized due to exchange interaction with an underlying magnetically-active Eu layer. Here we show that the Si-Rh-Si surface trilayer of the antiferromagnet EuRh2Si2 bears a surface state, which exhibits an unexpected and large spin splitting controllable by temperature. The splitting sets in below ~32.5 K, well above the ordering temperature of the Eu 4f moments (~24.5 K) in the bulk, indicating a larger ordering temperature in the topmost Eu layers. The driving force for the itinerant ferromagnetism at the surface is the aforementioned exchange interaction. Such a splitting may also be induced into states of functional surface layers deposited onto the surface of EuRh2Si2 or similarly ordered magnetic materials with metallic or semiconducting properties.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4171

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