Influence of magnetic ordering between Cr adatoms on the Yu-Shiba-Rusinov states of the β−Bi2 Pd superconductor

Abstract

We show that the magnetic ordering of coupled atomic dimers on a superconductor is revealed by their intragap spectral features. Chromium atoms on the superconductor β−Bi2Pd surface display Yu-Shiba-Rusinov bound states, detected as pairs of intragap excitations in tunneling spectra. By means of atomic manipulation with a scanning tunneling microscope's tip, we form Cr dimers with different arrangements and find that their intragap features appear either shifted or split with respect to single atoms. These spectral variations are associated with the magnetic coupling, ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic, of the dimer, as confirmed by density functional theory simulations. The striking qualitative differences between the observed tunneling spectra prove that intragap Shiba states are extremely sensitive to the magnetic ordering on the atomic scale. ; D.-J. C. and J. I. P. thank the European Union for support under the H2020-MSCA-IF2014 Marie-Curie Individual Fellowship program (Proposal No. 654469), Spanish MINECO (MAT2016-78293-C6-1-R), Diputacion Foral de Gipuzkoa for Grant No. 64/15, and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). N. L. thanks Spanish MINECO (Grant No. MAT2015-66888-C3-2-R). M. M. U. acknowledges Spanish MINECO (MAT2014-60996-R). E. H., I. G., and H. S. acknowledge FIS2014-54498-R and MDM-2014-0377, COST MP16218 nanocohybri, ERC PNICTEYES Grant Agreement No. 679080, and Departamento Administrativo de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, COLCIENCIAS (Colombia), Programa doctorados en el exterior and convocatoria 568-2012, as well as Comunidad de Madrid through program NanofrontmagCM (Grant No. S2013/MIT-2850). ; Peer reviewed