AI Article Synopsis
- Researchers used 3.1 eV linearly polarized light to excite highly spin-polarized electrons in a cobalt film into majority-spin quantum well states.
- The study utilized spin- and momentum-resolved two-photon photoemission to explore how the transition from the valence band to quantum well states mainly affects majority-spin electrons.
- The findings include a discussion on the mechanism behind high spin polarization and evidence of a significant influence of spin-orbit coupling on the quantum well states.
Article Abstract
Linearly polarized light with an energy of 3.1 eV has been used to excite highly spin-polarized electrons in an ultrathin film of face-centered-tetragonal cobalt to majority-spin quantum well states (QWS) derived from an sp band at the border of the Brillouin zone. The spin-selective excitation process has been studied by spin- and momentum-resolved two-photon photoemission. Analyzing the photoemission patterns in two-dimensional momentum planes, we find that the optically driven transition from the valence band to the QWS acts almost exclusively on majority-spin electrons. The mechanism providing the high spin polarization is discussed by the help of a density-functional theory calculation. Additionally, a sizable effect of spin-orbit coupling for the QWS is evidenced.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.266801 | DOI Listing |
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