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RKKY-induced magnetic transition for pairs of magnetic atoms on proximitized superconducting surface

ORAL

Abstract

An atomic chain with helical spin texture proximitized by an s-wave superconductor can harbor topological superconductivity that gives rise to Majorana zero modes (MZMs) localized at its both ends. Understanding the exchange interaction between magnetic atoms on a superconducting surface is the key to realizing helical spin chains and MZMs. Here we use atomic manipulation to build magnetic Gd dimers on proximitized superconducting Bi(110) surface with a dilution refrigerator scanning tunneling microscope (STM). By measuring the in-gap Shiba states induced by magnetism of Gd dimers, we find the magnetic ground state of Gd dimers changes from out-of-plane ferromagnetic to in-plane antiferromagnetic and then to in-plane ferromagnetic phase as a function of the distance between two Gd atoms. The Shiba states splitting behavior in the in-plane ferromagnetic state suggests the exchange interaction between two Gd atoms is dominated by RKKY interaction. Finally, by taking magnetic anisotropy, spin-orbit coupling and RKKY interaction into account, we propose a theoretical model that can describe this system.

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Presenters

  • Yuwen Hu

    Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton University

Authors

  • Yuwen Hu

    Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton University

  • Hao Ding

    Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton University

  • Silas Hoffman

    University of Basel, Department of Physics, University of Basel

  • Mallika Randeria

    Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT

  • Oindrila Deb

    Department of Physics, University of Basel, University of Basel

  • Jelena Klinovaja

    Department of Physics, University of Basel, University of Basel, Department of Physics, university of Basel

  • Daniel Loss

    University of Basel, Department of Physics, University of Basel, RIKEN, Physics, University of Basel, Department of Physics, university of Basel

  • Ali Yazdani

    Princeton University, Joseph Henry Laboratories & Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton Univ, Department of Physics, Princeton University