Spin Polarization of Electrons at Surfaces of Oligatomic Epitaxial NI(100)-Layers

Abstract

The electron spin polarization ESP at surfaces of thin epitaxial Ni(100)-layers (2–64 layers) is determined by electron capture spectroscopy ECS. Thin Ni(100)-layers were prepared on Cu(100) and NaCl(100) substrate crystals. It is found that the ESP depends on the Ni-layer thickness. Already two atomic layers Ni(100) on Cu(100) show ferromagnetic behaviour. This clearly excludes the existence of so-called “intrinsic magnetic dead layers” for Ni(100)-surfaces.