First-principles theory of chiral dichroism in electron microscopy applied to 3d ferromagnets

Abstract

Recently it was demonstrated, that an analog of the x-ray magnetic circular dichroism experiment can be performed with the transmission electron microscope. The new phenomenon has been named energy-loss magnetic chiral dichroism. In this work we present a detailed ab initio study of the chiral dichroism in the Fe, Co, and Ni transition elements. We discuss the methods used for the simulations together with the validity and accuracy of the treatment, which, in principle, can apply to any given crystalline specimen. The dependence of the dichroic signal on the sample thickness, accuracy of the detector position, and the size of convergence and collection angles are calculated. © 2007 The American Physical Society.