Transport in magnetically ordered Pt nanocontacts

TL;DR

This paper predicts that Pt nanocontacts can develop spontaneous local magnetic order, leading to spin-polarized electronic transport, which has implications for nanoscale magnetism and spintronics.

Contribution

It introduces the novel finding that low-coordination atoms in Pt nanocontacts can exhibit magnetic order, affecting electronic transport properties.

Findings

Local magnetic order exists in low-coordination Pt atoms

Electronic transport can be spin-polarized in these nanocontacts

Conductance remains consistent with experimental data

Abstract

Pt nanocontacts, like those formed in mechanically controlled break junctions, are shown to develop spontaneous local magnetic order. Our density functional calculations predict that a robust local magnetic order exists in the atoms presenting low coordination, i. e., those forming the atom-sized neck. In contrast to previous work, we thus find that the electronic transport can be spin-polarized, although the net value of the conductance still agrees with available experimental information. Experimental implications of the formation of this new type of nanomagnet are discussed.