Spin-polarized electron scattering from ferromagnetic Fe(110) films on W(110)

Abstract

Exchange scattering of spin-polarized electrons from a Fe(110) surface was observed using epitaxial Fe(110) films of less than 80 atomic layers, prepared on a W(110) ribbon. The Fe films could be magnetized along the easy axis [001] by current pulses, using the W ribbon as a strip line. Because stray fields can be neglected for these extremely thin films, they remained in a saturated remanent state in which they were analyzed by electron scattering. As the direction of magnetization coincided with the primary beam polarization, and with the normal of the scattering plane, exchange and spin-orbit-coupling contributions to the scattering asym netry, respectively, $A_{\mathrm{ex}}$ and $A_{\mathrm{so}}$, could be determined separately, by separate reversal of primary beam polarization and magnetization. A maximum value of $A_{\mathrm{ex}}=(34\mathrm{}\pm 10)\%$ was measured for specular reflection in the (100) plane with an angle of incidence of 31°, for electron energies of 46 eV.