Misfit-Induced Modification of Structure and Magnetism in O/Fe(001)-p(1 x 1)
Résumé
The geometry of oxygen atoms in hollow sites of Fe nanoislands (empty set approximate to 1-2 nm) on Fe(001) is modified by mesoscopic misfit-induced relaxations of the island atoms. Surface x-ray diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, and ab initio calculations indicate a 0.3 angstrom increased adsorption height [0.7 angstrom versus 0.4 angstrom in O/Fe(001)-p(1 x 1)] of O atoms going in parallel with a reduced Fe-Fe layer spacing inducing a reduction of the surface magnetic moment (2.85 mu(B) versus 3.2 mu(B)). Our results demonstrate the importance of the mesoscopic misfit for surface physical properties in general.