Magnetic studies of bct Fe(100)p(1 × 1)/Pd(100) films

Abstract

Electron capture (ECS) and spin-polarized electron emission spectroscopy (SPEES) studies are performed at surfaces of ultra-thin bct Fe(100)p(1 × 1) films deposited on atomically flat Pd(100) substrates. For well-annealed films, the electron spin polarization (ESP) is oriented in-plane, and ferromagnetic order sets in at a surface Curie temperature T Cs = 662.3 K (4 ML). Near T Cs, the ESP follows the power law ( T Cs — T Cs) β, with a critical exponent β = 0.129 ± 0.01 evaluated near T Cs. Varying the probing depth, it is found that the layer-dependent average (ESP) at the topmost surface layer (37%) is enhanced by 32% as compared to that of bulk layers (28%). Pd Auger electrons emitted from the Fe/Pd interface are spin polarized with their ESP oriented parallel to that of emitted Fe Auger electrons.