A. Krasyuk

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

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).

Incoherent magnetization rotation observed in subnanosecond time-resolving x-ray photoemission electron microscopy

We present recent results of time-resolved x-ray photoemission electron microscopy on permalloy microstructures. The stroboscopic experiments feature a time-resolution of Δτ⩽130ps. We observe a strong influence of incoherent magnetization rotation processes, leading to a significant transient stray-field formation at the edges of the microstructure.

Quantitative spin polarization analysis in photoelectron emission microscopy with an imaging spin filter

Using a photoelectron emission microscope (PEEM), we demonstrate spin-resolved electron spectroscopic imaging of ultrathin magnetic Co films grown on Cu(100). The spin-filter, based on the spin-dependent reflection of low energy electrons from a W(100) crystal, is attached to an aberration corrected electrostatic energy analyzer coupled to an electrostatic PEEM column. We present a method for the quantitative measurement of the electron spin polarization at 4 × 10³ points of the PEEM image, simultaneously. This approach uses the subsequent acquisition of two images with different scattering energies of the electrons at the W(100) target to directly derive the spin polarization without the need of magnetization reversal of the sample.

Investigating magnetization dynamics in permalloy microstructures using time-resolved x-ray photoemission electron microscope

We present results of a direct imaging approach to visualize the dynamics of magnetic domains on the nanosecond scale. The experiments are carried out by means of an x-ray photoemission electron microscope (X-PEEM) in a stroboscopic mode and exploit the intrinsic time structure of the synchrotron radiation delivered by the storage ring facility ESRF (Grenoble). In this way we combine the high lateral resolution of a PEEM with a subnanosecond time resolution.

Nonlocal electron correlations in an itinerant ferromagnet

Our understanding of the properties of ferromagnetic materials, widely used in spintronic devices, is fundamentally based on their electronic band structure. However, even for the most simple elemental ferromagnets, electron correlations are prevalent, requiring descriptions of their electronic structure beyond the simple picture of independent quasi-particles. Here, we give evidence that in itinerant ferromagnets like cobalt these electron correlations are of nonlocal origin, manifested in a complex self-energy Σσ(E,k) that disperses as function of spin σ, energy E, and momentum vector k. Together with one-step photoemission calculations, our experiments allow us to quantify the dispersive behaviour of the complex self-energy over the whole Brillouin zone. At the same time we observe regions of anomalously large “waterfall”-like band renormalization, previously only attributed to strong electron correlations in high-TC superconductors, making itinerant ferromagnets a paradigmatic test case for the interplay between band structure, magnetism, and many-body correlations.The consequences of electron-electron interactions are difficult to calculate reliably but this is needed to understand important physical properties such as ferromagnetism. Tusche et al. show that interaction effects in cobalt are nonlocal, presenting a challenge to future theoretical approaches.

Quantitative measurements of magnetic stray field dynamics of Permalloy particles in a photoemission electron microscopy

By example of a Permalloy particle (40 × 40 μm2 size, 30 nm thickness) we demonstrate a procedure to quantitatively investigate the dynamics of magnetic stray fields during ultrafast magnetization reversal. The measurements have been performed in a time‐resolving photoemission electron microscope using the X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism. In the particle under investigation, we have observed a flux‐closure‐dominated magnetic ground structure, minimizing the magnetic stray field outside the sample. A fast magnetic field pulse introduced changes in the micromagnetic structure accompanied with an incomplete flux closure. As a result, stray fields arise along the edges of domains, which cause a change of contrast and an image deformation of the particles geometry (curvature of its edge). The magnetic stray fields are calculated from a deformation of the X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) images taken after the magnetic field pulse in a 1 ns interval. These measurements reveal a decrease of magnetic stray fields with time. An estimate of the lower limit of the domain wall velocity yields about 2 × 103 m s−1.