Multi-Orbital Interactions and Spin Polarization in Single Rare-Earth Adatoms
Abstract
Surface-adsorbed rare-earth nanostructures are ideal platforms to investigate the interplay between intra-atomic interactions and multi-orbital spin configurations. However, addressing these properties has posed severe experimental and theoretical challenges. Here, we use the orbital selectivity offered by X-ray absorption spectroscopy to quantify the Coulomb integrals of Nd atoms on conductive surfaces, as well as the variation of individual orbital occupation upon cluster nucleation. Using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism we identify magnetic moments of the order of few tens of~μB at the 5d orbitals and their magnetic coupling with the 4f spins. Our results validate orbital-resolved X-ray spectroscopy as a reliable method for quantifying complex multi-orbital interactions in surface-adsorbed lanthanides.
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