Photoemission of Spin-Polarized Electrons from Ferromagnets

Abstract

The processes that generate and destroy electron spin polarization (ESP) in photoemission from ferromagnetic materials are examined, and an experimental technique is described for observing photoelectron‐ESP from thin films in high magnetic fields at liquid‐helium temperatures. No significant depolarization occurs in photoemission and the main factor determining ESP is the spin‐polarized band structure which can therefore be directly investigated by this technique. When applied to the europium chalcogenides, which are efficient photoemitters and whose first occupied level is completely spin‐polarized, we have a new method for the production of intense polarized electron beams.