First-principles study on surface magnetism in Co-doped (110) SnO2 thin film

Electronic structure and magnetism of Co-doped (110) SnO2 surface are investigated using the full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave method. Total energy calculations indicate that Co atoms prefer to surface sites and couple ferromagnetically when they occupy nearest-neighbor sites. Irrespective of the sites that Co dopants occupy, different geometries with ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, and nonmagnetic configurations are predicted in Co-doped systems, which provide a key to understand seemingly conflicting experimental results.

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► In this study we examine the magnetism induced by Co in (110) surface.
► Co prefer to surface site and couple ferromagnetically when they occupy nearest-neighbor sites.
► Different geometries with FM, AFM, and NM states are predicted in all configurations.