What does the K-edge x-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectrum tell us?

Abstract

Two rules which relate the magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) from the s core levels of a solid to the p-projected spin and orbital magnetization density of unoccupied states of the solid have been derived. Explicit calculations using the spin- and orbital-polarized relativistic multiple-scattering theory for bcc Fe, hcp Co and fcc Ni corroborate that the K-edge MCD spectrum probes the p-projected orbital magnetization density of unoccupied states.