Temperature dependence of surface magnetization in local-moment systems

We present a theory to study the temperature-dependent behavior of surface magnetization in a ferromagnetic semi-infinite crystal. Our approach is based on the single-site approximation for the s–f model. The effect of the semi-infinite nature of the crystal is taken into account by a localized perturbation method. Using the mean-field theory for the layer-dependent magnetization, the local density of states and the electron–spin polarization are investigated at different temperatures for ordinary and surface transition cases. The results show that the surface magnetic properties may differ strongly from those in the bulk and the coupling constant of atoms plays a decisive role in the degree of spin polarization. In particular, for the case in which the exchange coupling constant on the surface and between atoms in the first and second layer is higher than the corresponding in the bulk, an enhancement of surface Curie temperature and hence the spin polarization can be obtained.