Local spin-flip spectral distribution obtained by resonant x-ray Raman scattering

Abstract

We show that resonant x-ray Raman (RXR) scattering can be used to study the local spin-flip excitation spectral distribution in magnetically ordered $3d$ transition-metal compounds. We demonstrate with realistic calculations on the $3p$ x-ray absorption edge of a Cu${}^{2+}$ compound and the $2p$ edge of a Ni${}^{2+}$ compound that the scattered x-ray energy and intensity distribution contains the excitation spectrum resulting from a single local spin flip, as well as $\mathrm{dd}$ excitations accompanied by local spin flip satellites. We develop the theory describing this effect and discuss the polarization conditions that can be used to observe these effects.