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Published on: March 24, 2019
Compressive surface stress in magnetic transition metals.
M P J Punkkinen1, S K Kwon, J Kollár
1Applied Materials Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-100 44, Sweden.
Surface magnetism in 3d metals like chromium and manganese can lead to compressive surface stress, challenging the usual tensile stress expectation. This is due to enhanced magnetic moments at the surface compared to the bulk material.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Surface Science
Background:
- Metal surfaces typically exhibit tensile surface stress due to increased electron density.
- Surface stress is a critical property influencing material behavior and stability.
- Understanding surface stress is essential for designing advanced materials and devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of surface magnetism on surface stress in 3d metals.
- To challenge the conventional understanding of surface stress in metals.
- To explore the relationship between surface magnetism and surface stress.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing first-principles density functional calculations.
- Investigating the electronic and magnetic properties of metal surfaces.
- Analyzing the surface stress of thermodynamically stable surfaces.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that surface magnetism can alter surface stress in magnetic 3d metals.
- Identified chromium and manganese surfaces exhibiting compressive surface stress.
- Correlated compressive surface stress with enhanced magnetic moments at the surface layer.
Conclusions:
- Surface magnetism plays a crucial role in determining surface stress in certain metals.
- The common expectation of tensile surface stress does not hold for magnetic 3d metals with altered surface magnetism.
- Enhanced surface magnetic moments are responsible for the observed compressive surface stress.
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