Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy of Magnetic Bulk Impurities - From a Single Kondo Atom Towards a Coupled System

Magnetic impurities in a non-magnetic host metal have been actively explored in condensed matter physics in recent last decades. From both fundamental and applied viewpoints these systems are very interesting because they can exhibit strong electronic correlations that give rise to various fascinating phenomena beyond the single particle picture. Up to now our understanding of the underlying processes remains limited due to difficulties involved in measuring these systems on a microscopic scale. With their unique control, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) allow for the first time investigations of phenomena occurring on very small length and energy scales. Here, single magnetic iron and cobalt atoms embedded beneath a metal surface are investigated using these techniques. In particular, the transition from single impurity Kondo physics to two interacting impurities is studied in real space. This thesis contains a comprehensive description of the STM /STS technique, sub-surface impurities, as well as single- and two-impurity Kondo physics - and as such offers a valuable introduction to newcomers to the field.

List of contents

Introduction.- Experimental Setup and Background.- Investigation of Sub-surface Atoms by STM.- Kondo Physics of Single Sub-surface Atoms.- Signatures of Non-magnetic Atoms.- Two-Impurity Kondo Physics.- Prospects.- Appendix.

Product details

• Authors: Henning Prüser
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2016
• EAN: 9783319360515
• ISBN: 978-3-31-936051-5
• No. of pages: 109
• Dimensions: 129 mm x 233 mm x 6 mm
• Weight: 202 g
• Illustrations: XIII, 109 p. 53 illus., 42 illus. in color.
• Series: Springer Theses; Springer Theses
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Physics, astronomy > Atomic physics, nuclear physics; B, Microscopy, spectroscopy, Spectroscopy and Microscopy, Materials science, Physics and Astronomy, Spectrum analysis, spectrochemistry, mass spectrometry, Scientific equipment, experiments & techniques, Magnetism, Magnetic materials, Magnetism, Magnetic Materials, Materials—Surfaces, Interfaces (Physical sciences), Surface and Interface Science, Thin Films, Surface chemistry & adsorption, Surface and Interface and Thin Film, Thin films, Surfaces and Interfaces, Thin Films, Surfaces, Interfaces and Thin Film, Surfaces (Physics)