# Switching of magnetism via modifying phase shift of quantum-well states by tailoring the interface electronic structure

## TL;DR

This study shows how modifying interface electronic structures in Pd ultrathin films can switch their magnetism by altering quantum-well states through phase shift control, enabling magnetic state tuning.

## Contribution

It introduces a method to control magnetism in ultrathin films by tailoring interface electronic states to modify quantum-well phase shifts, a novel approach in magnetic engineering.

## Key findings

- Au/Pd interface induces hybridization and phase shift modulation.
- Al interface does not alter the scattering phase shift.
- Magnetism switching occurs via density of states changes near Fermi energy.

## Abstract

We demonstrate control of the magnetism of Pd(100) ultrathin films, which show d-electron quantum-well induced ferromagnetism, via modulation of the interface electronic state using density functional calculation. From an analysis based on the phase model, forming the Au/Pd(100) interface induces hybridization of the wave function of d-electron quantum-well states, and modulates the term of the scattering phase shift as a function of the reciprocal lattice point. In contrast, forming the Al interface, which has only s-electrons at the Fermi energy, cannot modify the scattering phase shift. Our finding indicates the possibility of modifying the phase shift by tailoring the interface electronic states using hybridization of the wave function, and this efficiently changes the density of states near the Fermi energy of Pd films, and the switching between paramagnetism and ferromagnetism occurs based on the condition for ferromagnetism (Stoner criterion).