SPIN-POLARIZED AUGER-ELECTRON DIFFRACTION STUDY OF THE MAGNETIC POISONING OF FE(001) BY SULFUR

Spin-polarized angle-resolved sulfur L(2,3)VV Auger-electron spectra h ave been recorded for the c(2 x 2)S/Fe(001) system. The data show the modulation of the sulfur Auger spin polarization as a function of emis sion angle, which represents an observation of spin-polarized Auger-el ectron diffraction (SPAED), a potentially powerful tool for the study of local magnetic structure at surfaces, interfaces, and thin films. T heoretical modeling of the SPAED data indicates a large decrease in th e magnetization of the top iron layer, suggesting a magnetic poisoning induced by the sulfur overlayer. These findings are independently sup ported by the observation of a large decrease of secondary electron sp in polarization upon sulfur adsorption.