Magnetic circular dichroism in resonant Raman scattering in the perpendicular geometry at the L edge of 3d transition metal systems

We measured circular dichroism in resonant x-ray scattering 3d(n) --> 2p(5) 3d(n+1) --> 3s(1)3d(n+l) with incidence perpendicular to the magnetization where the absorption dichroism vanishes. The advantages of photon scatterin g over other techniques make it possible to study a wide range of materials . The Ni L-3 dichroism in NiFe2O4 is (28 +/- 5)% in ageement with a localiz ed model. In the metal Co the dichroism is reduced to (10.4 +/- 1)% (L-3) a nd (6.8 +/- 1.5)% (7.5 eV above L-3), indicating a large sensitivity to the nature of the valence states despite the fact that this spectroscopy is ba sed on inner shell transitions.[S0031-9007(99)08431-8].