Probing the spin polarization in ferromagnets

TL;DR

This paper analyzes how polarized electron beams can probe spin polarization in ferromagnets by measuring correlated electron emissions, offering a new method to investigate magnetic properties.

Contribution

It introduces a formal framework relating electron emission parameters to ferromagnetic spin polarization and demonstrates its application through numerical studies on Fe(110).

Findings

Parameters can be related to spin polarization under specific conditions.

Numerical studies validate the formalism with Fe(110) surface.

A novel technique for magnetic property investigation is proposed.

Abstract

The emission of correlated electrons from an itinerant ferromagnet following the impact of a polarized electron beam is analyzed in terms of irreducible tensorial parameters that can be measured. Under favorable conditions, specified in this work, these parameters are related to the spin polarization in the ferromagnet. The formal results are illustrated by numerical studies of the polarized electron pair emission from a Fe(110) surface and a novel technique for the investigation of magnetic properties of ferromagnets is suggested.