MAGNETIC LINEAR DICHROISM IN VALENCE-BAND PHOTOEMISSION - EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL-STUDY OF FE(110)

Magnetic linear dichroism (MLD) in angle-resolved valence-band photoem ission of Fe(110) has been investigated by means of symmetry considera tions, analytical theory, numerical calculations, and photoemission me asurements. The dichroic photoemission spectra and their dependence on photon energy clearly show that the microscopic origin of MLD is an i nterference effect induced by hybridization of initial states of diffe rent spatial symmetry at band gaps arising from spin-orbit coupling. T he dependence of MLD on the light incidence angle evidences that it is substantially influenced by the optical response of the metal, the ap proximation of which according to classical Fresnel theory is adequate to reproduce our experimental data.