title: Resolving complex atomic-scale spin structures by spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy.
abstract: The spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope (SP-STM) operated in the constant current mode is proposed as a powerful tool to investigate complex atomic-scale magnetic structures of otherwise chemically equivalent atoms. The potential of this approach is demonstrated by successfully resolving the magnetic structure of Cr/Ag(111), which is predicted on the basis of ab initio vector spin-density calculations to be a coplanar noncollinear periodic 120 degrees Néel structure. Different operating modes of the SP-STM are discussed on the basis of the model of Tersoff and Hamann.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Festkörperforschung, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wortmann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heinze
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kurz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bihlmayer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blügel