Growth and spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of the MgO/Fe(110) system

TL;DR

This study investigates how ultrathin MgO layers grown on Fe(110) films affect electronic and spin properties, revealing a rapid decrease in spin polarization due to interface oxidation, using advanced spectroscopic techniques.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the interface effects on spin polarization in MgO/Fe(110) systems through combined spectroscopic analysis.

Findings

Spin polarization decreases abruptly with MgO thickness up to 7 Å.

Formation of a thin FeO layer at the interface attenuates spin polarization.

Spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy reveals interface-induced effects.

Abstract

Electronic and structural properties of ultrathin MgO layers grown on epitaxial Fe(110) films were investigated at room temperature by means of spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger-electron spectroscopy, and low energy electron diffraction. The spin polarization at the Fermi level of the Fe(110) film decreases abruptly with increasing thickness of MgO layer up to 7 \AA. This behavior is attributed to the formation of a thin FeO layer at the MgO(111)/Fe(110) interface, attenuating the intrinsic spin polarization.