SHG on ferromagnetic Gd films: indication of surface-state effects

Abstract

The magnetization of 10-nm Gd films on W (110) has been investigated with second-harmonic generation (SHG). We observed a strong second-harmonic (SH) yield, which we attribute to resonance enhancement by the well-known Gd (0001) d-like surface state above the Fermi level. Since this state is spin-polarized it enhances the magnetic SHG contrast. The contrast, the relative phase between odd and even SH fields, and the amplitude ratio of these fields depend strongly on wavelength, which confirms the resonance enhancement. Further proof is provided by the fact that oxidation of the Gd surface reduces the SH yield by an order of magnitude.