8 research outputs found
Spin polarization of the L-gap surface states on Au(111)
The electron spin polarization (ESP) of the L-gap surface states on Au(111)
is investigated theoretically by means of first-principles electronic-structure
and photoemission calculations. The surface states show a large spin-orbit
induced in-plane ESP which is perpendicular to the in-plane wavevector, in
close analogy to a two-dimensional electron gas with Rashba spin-orbit
interaction. The surface corrugation leads to a small ESP component normal to
the surface, being not reported so far. The surface-states ESP can be probed
qualitatively and quantitatively by spin- and angle-resolved photoelectron
spectroscopy, provided that the initial-state ESP is retained in the
photoemission process and not obscured by spin-orbit induced polarization
effects. Relativistic photoemission calculations provide detailed information
on what photoemission set-ups allow to conclude from the photoelectron ESP on
that of the surface states.Comment: 22 pages with 8 figure