Observation of —100% Spin-Polarized Photoelectrons from a Transversely Magnetized Ni(110) Single Crystal

Abstract

We have measured for the first time the electron spin polarization $P$ of photoelectrons emitted from a transversely magnetized sample in the absence of an externally applied magnetic field. With this photoemission geometry, use has been made of optical selection rules for selectively exciting spin-polarized electron states of different symmetry as illustrated for emission from the ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}_{3}$ and ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}_{4}$ bands of Ni(110), where values of $P$ up to ---100% have been observed.