MAGNETISM OF VANADIUM ISLANDS ON AG(001)

The electronic and magnetic properties of the ground state (T = 0 K) o f vanadium islands on Ag(001) were investigated through a mean-field p arameterized tight-binding method. The Ag substrate does not affect mu ch the magnetism of the V atoms which is directly related to the V-V c oordination number. Therefore, the outermost V atoms present the highe st magnetic moment. Antiferromagnetic like coupling is obtained betwee n most of the V atoms at nearest neighboring positions. However, when a vanadium atom is coupled antiferromagnetically to a part of its near est neighboorhood and ferromagnetically to the other part, its magneti c moment remains very low.