Spin-resolved NEXAFS from resonant X-ray scattering (RXS): Application to MnO

Resonantly excited metal K core line spectra of NiO, MnO, CuO and other com pounds have been investigated at the beamlines X21 (NSLS/BNL), BW1 and W1.1 (HASYLAB/DESY). A novel technique for quantitative resolution of NEXAFS sp ectra into spin-up and spin-down components has been developed. Since the m ethod employs spin conservation and local spin references, it needs no circ ularly polarized radiation and no sample magnetization for taking both the RXS and NEXAFS spectra. Hence antiferromagnetic and paramagnetic materials can be investigated as well. By utilizing linear dichroism with angular-dep endent measurements on single-crystal samples, additional resolution of NEX AFS spectra is possible with respect to the orbital symmetry. Application o f the method to paramagnetic MnO, for the first time, provides new and unam biguous experimental results confirming modern (LSDA+U) calculations.