Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: Spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (SP-STM) experiments on ultrathin films with non-collinear spin textures demonstrate that resonant tunneling allows for atomic-scale spin-sensitive imaging in real space at tip-sample distances of up to 8 nm. Spin-polarized resonance states evolving between the foremost atom of a magnetic probe tip and the opposed magnetic surface atom are found to provide a loophole from the hitherto existing dilemma of losing spatial resolution when increasing the tip-sample distance in a scanning probe setup. Bias-dependent series of SP-STM images recorded via resonant tunneling reveal spin sensitivity at resonance conditions, indicating that the spin-polarized resonance states act as mediators for the spin contrast across the nm-spaced vacuum gap. With technically feasible distances in the nm regime, resonant tunneling in SP-STM qualifies for a spin-sensitive read-write technique with ultimate lateral resolution in future spintronic applications.
Source: Applied Physics Letters
DOI: 10.1063/1.5145363
Authors: A. Schlenhoff, S. Kovarik, S. Krause, R. Wiesendanger
Institution: Universität Hamburg
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Awards: G2445211468, G3614653396, G4320983812
OpenAlex ID: W3013700633