F. Passek et al., SPIN-DEPENDENT ELECTRON ATTENUATION LENGTHS AND INFLUENCE ON SPECTROSCOPIC DATA, Journal of magnetism and magnetic materials, 159(1-2), 1996, pp. 103-108
Inverse photoemission from W(110) becomes spin dependent when the surf
ace is covered with ultrathin ferromagnetic iron films. The spin asymm
etry is not intrinsic to the tungsten electronic structure but is caus
ed by spin-dependent electron attenuation within the ferromagnetic ove
rlayer. The ratio of 1.7 +/- 0.3 between the spin-down and spin-up att
enuation lengths for an electron energy of 12.6 eV above the Fermi lev
el can be explained within a simple model by inelastic scattering. The
influence of spin-dependent attenuation lengths on experimental data
from electron spectroscopy is discussed and demonstrated by simulation
s. The observed electron spin polarization or spin asymmetry is strong
ly affected, while the energetic positions of features in spin-up and
spin-down spectra are not.