Spin Polarized Electron Techniques

Abstract

Many of the analytical techniques described in this book involve electron beams. In most cases the parameters measured are the intensity (number of electrons) and the momentum (energy and direction of the electrons). However, electrons have another intrinsic property called spin and if this is also measured additional information can be obtained from the various analytical techniques. The most obvious application is in studying magnetic phenomena although a wide spectrum of analysis of solid state and surface properties is possible. Device engineers will find many valuable applications such as being able to image directly the vector magnetization of the surface of ferromagnets, whereby magnetic domain wall movements can be investigated. Knowledge of such processes is vital in the field of high density magnetic-based information recording, storage and retrieval. Both the pure and device-oriented scientists will see spin polarized electron techniques as a way of measuring exchange and spin-orbit phenomena, giving them the tools to study magnetization in ultrathin films and even on an element-specific basis. Such studies form the basis on which the latest techniques in atomic engineering can be used to fabricate compound and multilayer devices with properties, both magnetic and otherwise, that utilize the subtle effects arising from induced strains, atomic environments, long and short range order, etc. To the theorist, spin related experiments offer a means for very specific testing of models of various types of magnetic interaction and solid state and surface theories.