Spin resolved photoelectron microscopy using a two-dimensional spin-polarizing electron mirror

Abstract

We report on an imaging spin-filter for electrons. The specular reflection of low-energy electrons at the surface of a tungsten single crystal is used to project a spin-filtered two-dimensional image onto a position sensitive detector. Spin-filtering is based on the spin-dependent reflectivity of electrons due to spin-orbit coupling in the scattering target, while a two-dimensional field of view, encoded in the angle of incidence, is conserved in the outgoing beam. We characterize the efficiency of the spin-filter by recording photoelectron emission microscopy images of the magnetic domain structure of 8 monolayers cobalt grown on copper (100).