On the gas adsorption effect upon electronic structure of ferromagnetic Co(0 0 0 1)

Effect of C, N or O adsorption on ferromagnetic Co(0 0 0 1) surface on evolution of important electronic features is studied within the local-density functional scheme. At high oxygen or carbon coverage, the spin asymmetry of Co(3d) states at the Fermi level can be reversed; for oxygen, however, the effect is not stable with respect to geometry variation and might correspond to non-equilibrium adatom positions. The concept of exchange splitting for non-homogeneous systems is poorly defined and its presence for well distinguished peaks in the local density of adatom 2p states is expected especially for oxygen. The calculations find, nevertheless, a simple and accurate relation between the spin-splitting of the centre of gravity of 2p electronic sates and value of the magnetic moment induced on adatoms.