Effect of the valence state on the band magnetocrystalline anisotropy in two-dimensional rare-earth/noble-metal compounds

In intermetallic compounds with zero orbital momentum (L=0) the magnetic anisotropy and the electronic band structure are interconnected. Here, we investigate this connection in divalent Eu and trivalent Gd intermetallic compounds. We find by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism an out-of-plane easy ma...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Blanco-Rey, María, Castrillo-Bodero, Rodrigo, Ali, Khadiza, Gargiani, Pierluigi, Bertram, Florian, Sheverdyaeva, P. M., Ortega, J. Enrique, Fernández, Laura, Schiller, Frederik
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2022
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/284373
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/284373
Access Level:acceso abierto
Descripción
Sumario:In intermetallic compounds with zero orbital momentum (L=0) the magnetic anisotropy and the electronic band structure are interconnected. Here, we investigate this connection in divalent Eu and trivalent Gd intermetallic compounds. We find by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism an out-of-plane easy magnetization axis in two-dimensional atom-thick EuAu2. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and density-functional theory prove that this is due to strong f−d band hybridization and Eu2+ valence. In contrast, the easy in-plane magnetization of the structurally equivalent GdAu2 is ruled by spin-orbit-split d bands, notably Weyl nodal lines, occupied in the Gd3+ state. Regardless of the L value, we predict a similar itinerant electron contribution to the anisotropy of analogous compounds.