Exchange-dependent hybridization at the Pd-Fe interface

Abstract

We have studied the spin-polarized electronic structure of 1--4 monolayers (ML) of Pd on Fe(100). Pd grows epitaxially and without interdiffusion on top of Fe(100) up to 2 ML. Spin- and angle-resolved valence-band photoemission spectra show that 1-ML Pd is ferromagnetically ordered. An exchange splitting cannot directly be determined from the positions of the maxima in the spin-resolved spectra. The results are explained on the basis of our ab initio full-potential linear augmented-plane-wave calculation. The majority and minority spin electronic structures of the overlayer are found to be very differently affected by the Pd 4d--Fe 3d interface hybridization.