Sensitivity of the magnetic state of a spin lattice on itinerant electron orbital phase

Abstract: Spatially extended localized spins can interact via indirect exchange interaction through Friedel oscillations in the Fermi sea. In arrays of localized spins such interaction can lead to a magnetically ordered phase. Without external magnetic field such a phase is well understood via a “two-impurity” Kondo model. Here we employ non-equilibrium transport spectroscopy to investigate the role of the orbital phase of conduction electrons on the magnetic state of a spin lattice. We show experimentally that even tiniest perpendicular magnetic field can influence the magnitude of the interspin magnetic exchange. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]