title: Scattering of charge carriers by Cr impurities in magnetotransport on a Bi(1 1 1) ultra-thin film.
abstract: In this investigation we tested the role of Cr impurities on the strongly spin-polarized surface states of ultra-thin epitaxially grown Bi(1 1 1) films by measuring surface magnetoconductance and the Hall effect in conjunction with low-energy electron diffraction at a low temperature (10 K). Compared with Fe and Co, investigated recently, Cr atoms turned out to have scattering cross-sections that are about a factor of three higher than the former atoms. Nevertheless, only a small electron donation (0.03 e/atom) was found for Cr. It also exhibits strong spin-orbit scattering, as judged from quantitative analysis of weak localization effects. As a result, all spin-dependent selection rules are gradually relaxed with increasing Cr concentration, so that the initially observed weak anti-localization shifts towards weak localization. The non-monotonic decrease of conductance as a function of Cr concentration, even at 10 K, indicates high diffusivity and activated adsorption into its final optimal adsorption site.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Festkörperphysik, Abteilung Atomare und Molekulare Strukturen, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Appelstr. 2, D-30167 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kröger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sologub
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tegenkamp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pfnür
mesh_terms: D001729:Bismuth / Q000737:chemistry*; D002857:Chromium / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004579:Electron Transport; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008956:Models, Chemical; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D055672:Static Electricity
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D002857:Chromium; D001729:Bismuth