Magnetic x-ray dichroism in core-level photoemission from ferromagnets

Abstract

We report on the novel effect of magnetic x-ray dichroism in core-level photoemission from ferromagnets with circularly polarized radiation. Depending on the relative orientation of photon spin and sample magnetization (parallel or antiparallel), a single emission line may be resolved into two lines, due to exchange splitting of the core level. The mechanism is explained in terms of spin-selective dipole transitions in the presence of spin-orbit coupling. Possible applications of magnetic x-ray dichroism in photoemission from magnetic samples are pointed out.