Probing the magnetism of nanostructures buried in metallic surfaces and their possible utilization

We discuss the possibility to probe magnetic properties of nanostructures buried beneath a metallic surface by means of local probe techniques. We prove, that those properties can be deduced from the spin-resolved local density of states (LDOS) above the surface. In-plane polarization maps in vacuum above the surface are shown to allow one to simultaneously detect electronic, magnetic, and even geometric properties of subsurface structures. It is argued, that the coupling of buried nanostructures to each other can be deduced from the symmetry of the polarization map. To underline the importance of studying buried nanostructures several possible applications of buried magnetic impurities are pointed out. The exchange coupling of an adatom to a nanostructure or a monolayer (ML) across a paramagnetic spacer is shown to oscillate with the thickness of the latter. This could provide one with reliable means to stabilize the spin of a magnetic adatom in either a ferromagnetic or an antiferromagnetic configuration with respect to the magnetic orientation of the monolayer or nanostructure. The possibility to tailor the exchange coupling between single magnetic impurities on a surface through the adjustment of the overlayer thickness and the interatomic separation in a dimer, is discussed. (C) 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim