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arXiv · 2109.03743

Coexistence of Antiferromagnetism and Superconductivity in Mn/Nb(110)

Roberto Lo Conte·Maciej Bazarnik·Krisztián Palotás·Levente Rózsa·László Szunyogh·André Kubetzka·Kirsten von Bergmann·Roland Wiesendanger
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Abstract

We report on the structural and magnetic properties of single and double atomic layers of Mn on a clean and unreconstructed Nb(110) substrate. Low-temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements reveal a proximity-induced superconducting state in the Mn thin films, which are found to grow pseudomorphically on the Nb surface. Spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy measurements reveal a c(2x2) antiferromagnetic order in the Mn layers, with an out-of-plane spin-orientation. First-principles density functional theory calculations confirm the experimentally observed magnetic state, which is understood as the consequence of a strong intra- and inter-layer nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic exchange coupling. These results are expected to be of importance for the design and the investigation of novel superconducting antiferromagnetic spintronic systems.

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Roberto Lo Conte, Maciej Bazarnik, Krisztián Palotás, Levente Rózsa, László Szunyogh, André Kubetzka, Kirsten von Bergmann, Roland Wiesendanger. 2021-09-08. Coexistence of Antiferromagnetism and Superconductivity in Mn/Nb(110). https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.105.l100406

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