Atomically-resolved structure of ultrathin antiferromagnetic oxide domains (width 15 nm):
MnO(100) grown on Pt(111)

Ch. Hagendorf and W. Widdra (submitted for publication 2005)

Forschung » Oxidische Nanostrukturen

Oxidische Nanostrukturen

Zusammenfassung

Oxides are one of the most important classes of solids. The properties of bulk oxides are generally well understood. There is, however, a considerable deficit with respect to the understanding of oxidic surfaces and interfaces. The volume-to-interface ratio being particularly large in nanostructures, structure and physical properties of nanostructures are dominated by those of the interfaces surrounding them, requiring their investigation in a joint effort. A main focus of the research activities in Halle is structure and dynamics of oxidic interfaces and nanostructures involving 3d transition metals. Since the 3d states are only partially filled, these systems exhibit interesting magnetic and ferroelectric properties and offer the opportunity to design multicomponent structures and multiferroic systems.
A variety of well-defined growth methods of layered systems and nanostructures is combined with high resolution microscopy, spectroscopy and surface X-ray diffraction to analyze the chemical and structural properties of the surfaces, interfaces, and nanostructures. These experimental activities are combined with state-of-the-art electronic structure calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). In order to properly describe electron correlation effects relevant to this field, DFT in local density functional approximation (LDA) has to be supplemented with methods such as LDA+U, self-interaction corrections (SIC) or dynamical mean field (DMF).

(letzte Änderung: 07.12.2011, 07:59 Uhr)