Stacking-Dependent Spin Interactions in Pd /Fe Bilayers on Re(0001)
Abstract
Using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory, we have studied the magnetic properties of Pd /Fe atomic bilayers on Re(0001). Two kinds of magnetic ground states are discovered due to different types of stacking of the Pd adlayer on Fe /Re (0001 ). For fcc stacking of Pd on Fe /Re (0001 ), it is a spin spiral propagating along the close-packed (Γ K ¯ ) direction with a period of about 0.9 nm, driven by frustrated exchange and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions. For the hcp stacking, the four-site four-spin interaction stabilizes an up-up-down-down state propagating perpendicular to the close-packed direction (along Γ M ¯ ) with a period of about 1.0 nm. Our work shows how higher-order exchange interactions can be tuned at interfaces.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- November 2020
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.227205
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2006.04408
- Bibcode:
- 2020PhRvL.125v7205L
- Keywords:
-
- Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
- E-Print:
- doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.227205