Spin-resolved valence photoemission

Abstract

Spin-resolved valence photoemission has recently seen a resurgence of interest fostered by exciting results in a range of interesting materials. Reviewed here are the basics of, the instrumentation for, and techniques useful in spin-resolved photoemission, together with illustrative examples of its utilization for materials of general importance and of particular relevance to spintronics applications. The example materials are broadly classified into nonmagnetic and magnetic systems. The former covers Rashba systems and topological insulators. The latter includes thin films, half-metals, adsorbates and induced moments, and, finally, a short section on imaging. The review is not intended to be comprehensive in its coverage but rather to provide an introduction to hardware and techniques together with an overview of selected results and state-of-the-art developments.