Multi-Orbital Interactions and Spin Polarization in Single Rare-Earth Adatoms
/ Authors
Massine Kelai, Stefano Reale, Roberto Robles, Jaehyun Lee, D. Jyoti, P. Ohresser, Edwige Otero, F. Choueikani, Fabrice Scheurer, N. Lorente
and 3 more authors
/ Abstract
Surface-adsorbed rare-earth nanostructures are ideal platforms to investigate the interplay between intra-atomic interactions and multi-orbital spin configurations. However, addressing these properties has posed severe experimental and theoretical challenges. Here, we use the orbital selectivity offered by X-ray absorption spectroscopy to quantify the Coulomb integrals of Nd atoms on conductive surfaces, as well as the variation of individual orbital occupation upon cluster nucleation. Using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism we identify magnetic moments of the order of \MK{few tens of}~$\mu_{\rm{B}}$ at the $5d$ orbitals and their magnetic coupling with the $4f$ spins. Our results validate orbital-resolved X-ray spectroscopy as a reliable method for quantifying complex multi-orbital interactions in surface-adsorbed lanthanides.