The atomic-like behavior of the photoionization cross-section of core level
s in solids is remarkably displayed in the observation of linear magnetic d
ichroism in the angular distribution of photoelectrons. Structure-related e
ffects are clearly visible as modulations of the dichroism signal, induced
by photoelectron diffraction, a fact that can be exploited to obtain inform
ation from magnetic surfaces. A systematic investigation of such effects ha
s been carried out for Fe 2p and 3p core levels on the ALOISA beamline at E
LETTRA. We present results for Fe(0 0 1) with a reference calibration for a
morphous RCP-Fe grown on Fe30Ni50B20, which provides the atomic-like standa
rd, free from diffraction effects. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All right
s reserved.