Kondo effect and STM spectra through ferromagnetic nanoclusters

Abstract

Motivated by recent scanning tunneling microscope (STM) experiments on cobalt clusters adsorbed on single wall metallic nanotubes [Odom {\em et al.}, Science {\bf 290}, 1549 (2000)], we study theoretically the size dependence of STM spectra and spin-flip scattering of electrons from finite size ferromagnetic clusters adsorbed on metallic surfaces. We study two models of nanometer size ferromagnets: (i) An itinerant model with delocalized s, p and d electrons and (ii) a local moment model with both localized d-level spins and delocalized cluster electrons. The effective exchange coupling between the spin of the cluster and the conduction electrons of the metallic substrate depends on the specific details of the single particle density of states on the cluster. The calculated Kondo coupling is inversely proportional to the total spin of the ferromagnetic cluster in both models and thus the Kondo temperature is rapidly suppressed as the size of the cluster increases. Mesoscopic fluctuations in the charging energies and magnetization of nanoclusters can lead to large fluctuations in the Kondo temperatures and a very asymmetric voltage dependence of the STM spectra. We compare our results to the experiments.

24 pages, clarification of several points

References in corpus (4)

• Kondo effect in real quantum dots
• Two-stage Kondo effect in a quantum dot at high magnetic field
• Magnetic Anisotropy Variations and Non-Equilibrium Tunneling in a Cobalt Nanoparticle
• A Model for Ferromagnetic Nanograins with Discrete Electronic States

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• Exotic resonant level models in non-Abelian quantum Hall states coupled to quantum dots
• Charge-Kondo Effect in Mesoscopic Superconductors Coupled to Normal Metals
• The Interplay of Charge and Spin in Quantum Dots: The Ising Case
• Electronic behavior in mats of single-walled carbon nanotubes under pressure
• From Kondo to local singlet state in graphene nanoribbons with magnetic impurities
• Detecting and Switching Magnetization of Stoner Nanograin in Non-local Spin Valve
• Kondo Phase Transitions of Magnetic Impurities in Carbon Nanotubes
• Non-Fermi Liquid Quantum Impurity Physics from non-Abelian Quantum Hall States
• Mixed-Valence Transition on a Quantum-Dot Coupled to Superconducting and Spin-Polarized Leads