Giant modification of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy in transition-metal monolayers by an external electric field

• Published in: Physical review letters Vol. 102; no. 18; p. 187201
• Main Authors: Nakamura, Kohji, Shimabukuro, Riki, Fujiwara, Yuji, Akiyama, Toru, Ito, Tomonori, Freeman, A J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 08-05-2009
• ISSN: 0031-9007; 1079-7114
• DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.102.187201

Controlling and designing quantum magnetic properties by an external electric field is a key challenge in modern magnetic physics. Here, from first principles, the effects of an external electric field on the magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) in ferromagnetic transition-metal monolayers are demonstrated which show that the MCA in an Fe(001) monolayer [but not in Co(001) and Ni(001) monolayers] can be controlled by the electric field through a change in band structure, in which small components of the p orbitals near the Fermi level, which are coupled to the d states by the electric field, play a key role. This prediction obtained opens a way to control the MCA by the electric field and invites experiments.