Tailoring exchange interactions in engineered nanostructures: Ab initio study

TL;DR

This study uses ab initio calculations to show how the magnetic interactions in nanostructures can be precisely controlled by geometric modifications, enabling tailored spin properties for advanced nanodevices.

Contribution

It introduces a novel ab initio method to tune magnetic interactions in nanostructures through geometric adjustments, such as spacer thickness and artificial linking chains.

Findings

Magnetic moments can be stabilized in ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic states depending on spacer thickness.

Buried Co layers significantly influence exchange interactions between surface magnetic impurities.

Artificial Cu chains can effectively manipulate exchange interactions between magnetic adatoms.

Abstract

We present a novel approach to spin manipulation in atomic-scale nanostructures. Our ab initio calculations clearly demonstrate that it is possible to tune magnetic properties of sub-nanometer structures by adjusting the geometry of the system. By the example of two surface-based systems we demonstrate that (i) the magnetic moment of a single adatom coupled to a buried magnetic Co layer can be stabilized in either a ferromagnetic or an antiferromagnetic configuration depending on the spacer thickness. It is found that a buried Co layer has a profound effect on the exchange interaction between two magnetic impurities on the surface. (ii) The exchange interaction between magnetic adatoms can be manipulated by introducing artificial nonmagnetic Cu chains to link them.