title: Efficient Spin-Flip Excitation of a Nickelocene Molecule.
abstract: Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) within the junction of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) uses current-driven spin-flip excitations for an all-electrical characterization of the spin state of a single object. Usually decoupling layers between the single object, atom or molecule, and the supporting surface are needed to observe these excitations. Here we study the surface magnetism of a sandwich nickelocene molecule (Nc) adsorbed directly on Cu(100) by means of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations and show with IETS that it exhibits an exceptionally efficient spin-flip excitation. The molecule preserves its magnetic moment and magnetic anisotropy not only on Cu(100), but also in different metallic environments including the tip apex. By taking advantage of this robusteness, we are able to functionalize the microscope tip with a Nc, which can be employed as a portable source of inelastic excitations as exemplified by a double spin-flip excitation process.
authors.affiliation: Université de Strasbourg , CNRS, IPCMS, UMR 7504, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Maider
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7278-5308
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ormaza
authors.affiliation: Université de Strasbourg , CNRS, IPCMS, UMR 7504, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bachellier
authors.affiliation: Département de Chimie, ENS-CNRS-UPMC UMR 8640, Ecole Normale Supérieure , 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Marisa N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Faraggi
authors.affiliation: Université de Strasbourg , CNRS, IPCMS, UMR 7504, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Verlhac
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Física de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario , Av. Pellegrini 250, 2000 Rosario, Argentina.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Abufager
authors.affiliation: L'Orme des Merisiers, Synchrotron SOLEIL , Saint-Aubin - BP 48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ohresser
authors.affiliation: Université de Strasbourg , CNRS, IPCMS, UMR 7504, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Loïc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Joly
authors.affiliation: Université de Strasbourg , CNRS, IPCMS, UMR 7504, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Michelangelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romeo
authors.affiliation: Université de Strasbourg , CNRS, IPCMS, UMR 7504, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scheurer
authors.affiliation: Département de Chimie, ENS-CNRS-UPMC UMR 8640, Ecole Normale Supérieure , 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Laure
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7122-4907
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bocquet
authors.affiliation: Centro de Fı́sica de Materiales CFM/MPC (CSIC-UPV/EHU) , Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.|Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 4, E-20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
authors.forename: Nicolás
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lorente
authors.affiliation: Université de Strasbourg , CNRS, IPCMS, UMR 7504, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Limot
keywords: Metallocene; X-ray magnetic circular dichroism; density functional theory; inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy; magnetic anisotropy; spin-flip; tip functionalization