Inelastic electron scattering in aggregates of transition metal atoms on metal surfaces

Abstract

Inelastic spin excitations, as observed with a scanning tunneling microscope for Co/Co and Fe/Fe dimers on a Cu2N/Cu(100) surface, have been analyzed theoretically in this paper. In our approach, we use an extended ionic Hamiltonian for the magnetic atom that takes into account first, the role played by the first Hund rule in the atomic states, and second, the cotunneling processes associated with the atomic excitations and the tunneling conductance. This Hamiltonian is solved using the equation of motion method that yields the appropriate Green's functions allowing us to calculate the differential conductance, the inelastic atomic excitations, and possible Kondo resonances. We also analyze an ideal dimer with spin in each atom and discuss the differences and similarities this model has with the Co-Co case.