Mnn- clusters:: Size-induced transition to half metallicity

Results of a theoretical and experimental photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) study of the size evolution of electronic properties of small Mn-n(-) clusters are presented. The agreement between the computed and measured data verifies the validity of the theoretical treatment. The theoretical analysis leads to the first prediction of nanoscale half metallicity and the size-induced transition to it. It also points to the type of experiments (spin-polarized PES) that will be able to directly verify the predicted phenomenon.