Spectral functions of isolated Ce adatoms on paramagnetic surfaces

TL;DR

This study combines photoemission experiments and first-principles theory to analyze the spectral functions of Ce adatoms on different metal surfaces, revealing substrate-dependent electronic structure changes.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive experimental and theoretical analysis of Ce adatoms' spectral functions on various surfaces, highlighting the importance of combined spectroscopic approaches.

Findings

Spectral weight transfer from ionization peak to Fermi level with substrate change

Ionization peak splitting observed on W(110) surface

Theoretical models confirm the need for combined low and high energy spectroscopy

Abstract

We report photoemission experiments revealing the full valence electron spectral function of Ce adatoms on Ag(111), W(110) and Rh(111) surfaces. A transfer of Ce 4f spectral weight from the ionization peak towards the Fermi level is demonstrated upon changing the substrate from Ag(111) to Rh(111). In the intermediate case of Ce on W(110) the ionization peak is found to be split. This evolution of the spectra is explained by means of first-principles theory which clearly demonstrates that a reliable understanding of magnetic adatoms on metal surfaces requires simultaneous low and high energy spectroscopic information.