Mn has been found to self-assemble into atomic chains running perpendicular
to the surface dimer reconstruction on Si(001). They differ from other atomic
chains by a striking asymmetric appearance in filled state scanning tunneling
microscopy (STM) images. This has prompted complicated structural models
involving up to three Mn atoms per chain unit. Combining STM, atomic force
microscopy and density functional theory we find that a simple necklace-like
chain of single Mn atoms reproduces all their prominent features, including
their asymmetry not captured by current models. The upshot is a remarkably
simpler structure for modelling the electronic and magnetic properties of Mn
atom chains on Si(001).Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
