Large ferromagnetic-like band splitting in ultrathin ${\mathrm{SmC}}_{6}$ films

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Zheng, Hao, Xu, Yifu, Yang, Guowei, Pan, Ze, Wu, Yi, Zheng, Yuan, Sun, Tulai, Cao, Jiefeng, Yang, Yi-feng, Shi, Ming, Cao, Chao, Liu, Yang
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Zheng, Hao
Xu, Yifu
Yang, Guowei
Pan, Ze
Wu, Yi
Zheng, Yuan
Sun, Tulai
Cao, Jiefeng
Yang, Yi-feng
Shi, Ming
Cao, Chao
Liu, Yang
author_facet Zheng, Hao
Xu, Yifu
Yang, Guowei
Pan, Ze
Wu, Yi
Zheng, Yuan
Sun, Tulai
Cao, Jiefeng
Yang, Yi-feng
Shi, Ming
Cao, Chao
Liu, Yang
contents Two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials provide a unique platform for exploring quantum phases from magnetic order in reduced dimensions. While there have been extensive studies on 2D magnetic materials based on 3$d$ electrons, experimental studies on 4$f$-electron counterparts are far fewer, particularly on their electronic structure. In this study, we report the successful synthesis of ultrathin ${\mathrm{SmC}}_{6}$ films using molecular beam epitaxy. Utilizing in situ angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we uncover a large band splitting in the valence bands, which we attribute to the ferromagnetic order driven by exchange couplings between Sm 4$f$ moments and conduction electrons. Despite the small magnetic moment of Sm, the observed splitting is comparable to those of Eu- and Gd-based systems with much larger local moments. Interestingly, the surface state also exhibits splitting with similar magnitude and can be eliminated by overannealing, while the valence bands with ferromagnetic-like splittings remain robust. Our work provides spectroscopic insight to understand the electronic origin of magnetic order in Sm-based compounds. Our study also offers a platform to study 2D magnetic materials based on 4$f$ electrons.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_11396
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Large ferromagnetic-like band splitting in ultrathin ${\mathrm{SmC}}_{6}$ films
Zheng, Hao
Xu, Yifu
Yang, Guowei
Pan, Ze
Wu, Yi
Zheng, Yuan
Sun, Tulai
Cao, Jiefeng
Yang, Yi-feng
Shi, Ming
Cao, Chao
Liu, Yang
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Materials Science
Two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials provide a unique platform for exploring quantum phases from magnetic order in reduced dimensions. While there have been extensive studies on 2D magnetic materials based on 3$d$ electrons, experimental studies on 4$f$-electron counterparts are far fewer, particularly on their electronic structure. In this study, we report the successful synthesis of ultrathin ${\mathrm{SmC}}_{6}$ films using molecular beam epitaxy. Utilizing in situ angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we uncover a large band splitting in the valence bands, which we attribute to the ferromagnetic order driven by exchange couplings between Sm 4$f$ moments and conduction electrons. Despite the small magnetic moment of Sm, the observed splitting is comparable to those of Eu- and Gd-based systems with much larger local moments. Interestingly, the surface state also exhibits splitting with similar magnitude and can be eliminated by overannealing, while the valence bands with ferromagnetic-like splittings remain robust. Our work provides spectroscopic insight to understand the electronic origin of magnetic order in Sm-based compounds. Our study also offers a platform to study 2D magnetic materials based on 4$f$ electrons.
title Large ferromagnetic-like band splitting in ultrathin ${\mathrm{SmC}}_{6}$ films
topic Strongly Correlated Electrons
Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.11396