Scanning tunneling spectroscopies of magnetic atoms, clusters, and molecules

Abstract

The Kondo effect of adatoms on surfaces may to some extent be controlled by manipulating their electronic and geometric environment. Results are presented from artificial structures like quantum well systems, from arrangements of single atoms made with a scanning tunneling microscope, and from custom-made molecules. Spin-orbit coupling at single adatoms is probed via measurements of the anisotropic magnetoresistance, in particular in single atom contacts. Such junctions are also investigated with respect to the current shot noise, which is influenced by the electron spin.