  The spin-polarization at the V(001) surface has been studied by using
different local (LSDA) and semilocal (GGA) approximations to the
exchange-correlation potential of DFT within two ab initio methods: the
all-electron TB-LMTO-ASA and the pseudopotential LCAO code SIESTA (Spanish
Initiative for Electronic Simulations with Thousands of Atoms). A comparative
analysis is performed first for the bulk and then for a N-layer V(001) film (7
< N < 15). The LSDA approximation leads to a non magnetic V(001) surface with
both theoretical models in agreement (disagreement) with magneto-optical Kerr
(electron-capture spectroscopy) experiments. The GGA within the pseudopotential
method needs thicker slabs than the LSDA to yield zero moment at the central
layer, giving a high surface magnetization (1.70 Bohr magnetons), in contrast
with the non magnetic solution obtained by means of the all-electron code.
