Photoemission electron microscope for the study of magnetic materials

The design of a high resolution photoemission electron microscope (PEEM) fo r the study of magnetic materials is described. PEEM is based on imaging th e photoemitted (secondary) electrons from a sample irradiated by x rays. Th is microscope is permanently installed at the Advanced Light Source at a be nding magnet that delivers linearly polarized, and left and right circularl y polarized radiation in the soft x-ray range. The microscope can utilize s everal contrast mechanisms to study the surface and subsurface properties o f materials. A wide range of contrast mechanisms can be utilized with this instrument to form topographical, elemental, chemical, magnetic circular an d linear dichroism, and polarization contrast high resolution images. The e lectron optical properties of the microscope are described, and some first results are presented. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748( 99)02910-X].