Magnetic anisotropy of single Mn acceptors in GaAs in an external magnetic field

M Bozkurt; Mohammad Reza Mahani; P Studer; J.-M Tang; S Schofield; N Curson; M E Flatté; A.Yu Silov; C. F Hirjibehedin; Carlo M Canali; P.M Koenraad

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.88.205203

Journal article

Magnetic anisotropy of single Mn acceptors in GaAs in an external magnetic field

M Bozkurt, Mohammad Reza Mahani, P Studer, J.-M Tang, S Schofield, N Curson, M E Flatté, A.Yu Silov, C. F Hirjibehedin, Carlo M Canali, …

Physical Review B. Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol.88(20), pp.Article ID: 205203-1/11

2013

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.88.205203

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Abstract

We investigate the effect of an external magnetic field on the physical properties of the acceptor hole statesassociated with single Mn acceptors placed near the (110) surface of GaAs. Cross-sectional scanning tunnelingmicroscopy images of the acceptor local density of states (LDOS) show that the strongly anisotropic hole wavefunction is not significantly affected by a magnetic field up to 6 T. These experimental results are supported bytheoretical calculations based on a tight-binding model of Mn acceptors in GaAs. For Mn acceptors on the (110)surface and the subsurfaces immediately underneath, we find that an applied magnetic field modifies significantlythe magnetic anisotropy landscape. However, the acceptor hole wave function is strongly localized around theMn and the LDOS is quite independent of the direction of the Mn magnetic moment. On the other hand, for Mnacceptors placed on deeper layers below the surface, the acceptor hole wave function is more delocalized andthe corresponding LDOS is much more sensitive on the direction of the Mn magnetic moment. However, themagnetic anisotropy energy for these magnetic impurities is large (up to 15 meV), and a magnetic field of 10 Tcan hardly change the landscape and rotate the direction of the Mn magnetic moment away from its easy axis.We predict that substantially larger magnetic fields are required to observe a significant field dependence of thetunneling current for impurities located several layers below the GaAs surface.

Condensed Matter Physics

Natural Sciences

Physical Sciences

Den kondenserade materiens fysik

Fysik

Kondenserade materians fysik

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Details

Title: Subtitle: Magnetic anisotropy of single Mn acceptors in GaAs in an external magnetic field
Creators: M Bozkurt - Eindhoven University of Technology
Mohammad Reza Mahani - Linnaeus University
P Studer - London Centre for Nanotechnology
J.-M Tang - University of New Hampshire
S Schofield - London Centre for Nanotechnology
N Curson - London Centre for Nanotechnology
M E Flatté - University of Iowa
A.Yu Silov - Eindhoven University of Technology
C. F Hirjibehedin - London Centre for Nanotechnology
Carlo M Canali - Linnaeus University
P.M Koenraad - Eindhoven University of Technology
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Physical Review B. Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol.88(20), pp.Article ID: 205203-1/11
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.88.205203
ISSN: 1550-235X
eISSN: 1550-235X
Language: English
Date published: 2013
Academic Unit: Electrical and Computer Engineering; Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984199715202771

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