Spin Motion in Electron Transmission through Ultrathin Ferromagnetic Films Accessed by Photoelectron Spectroscopy

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that angle- and spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy can analyze the spin dynamics of electrons transmitted through ultrathin ferromagnetic films, revealing precession and relaxation behaviors influenced by film thickness and electronic structure.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis method for electron spin motion in ferromagnetic films using photoelectron spectroscopy, considering effects like band gaps and scattering.

Findings

Spin precession and relaxation depend on film thickness.

Band gaps significantly influence spin motion.

Photoelectron spectroscopy effectively probes spin dynamics.

Abstract

Ab initio and model calculations demonstrate that the spin motion of electrons transmitted through ferromagnetic films can be analyzed in detail by means of angle- and spin-resolved core-level photoelectron spectroscopy. The spin motion appears as precession of the photoelectron spin polarization around and as relaxation towards the magnetization direction. In a systematic study for ultrathin Fe films on Pd(001) we elucidate its dependence on the Fe film thickness and on the Fe electronic structure. In addition to elastic and inelastic scattering, the effect of band gaps on the spin motion is addressed in particular.