Abstract
In this review, the technique of resonant soft X-ray reflectivity in the study of magnetic low-dimensional systems is discussed. This technique is particularly appealing in the study of magnetization at buried interfaces and to discriminate single elemental contributions to magnetism, even when this is ascribed to few atoms. The major fields of application are described, including magnetic proximity effects, thin films of transition metals and related oxides, and exchange-bias systems. The fundamental theoretical background leading to dichroism effects in reflectivity is also briefly outlined.
Highlights
X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) in absorption is typically carried out on ultrathin films, since the information depth is limited to a few atomic layers
It should be noted that studies using RSXMR can be divided into two groups: (i) those that privilege angular scans at fixed, selected photon energies across and outside specific elemental absorption edges, and (ii) those that privilege energy scans across the edges at fixed, selected angles
This is intimately related to two different values of the absorption coefficient μ± = 2 ωc Im{n± }, which are responsible for dichroism in X-ray absorption, measured through XMCD
Summary
In order to extract useful information from the experimental data, a simulation of the optical response is mandatory This requires knowledge (or estimation) of the complex optical constants of the (anisotropic) materials, including magnetic effects and the layered structure of the system. It should be noted that studies using RSXMR can be divided into two groups: (i) those that privilege angular scans at fixed, selected photon energies across and outside specific elemental absorption edges, and (ii) those that privilege energy scans across the edges at fixed, selected angles These two visions typically reflect the ‘cultural’ origin of the experimental teams involved, with prominent expertise in either structural studies through diffraction techniques or in the investigation of electronic properties through spectroscopy. We do not aim to be exhaustive but to give the interested reader a concise picture of the capabilities of the technique and its fields of application
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