The surface composition and spin polarization of NiMnSb epitaxial thin films

Authors

D. Ristoiu, CNRS Laboratoire Louis Néel, France
J.P. Nozières , CNRS Laboratoire Louis Néel, France
C.N. Borca, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
T. Komesu, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
H.-K. Jeong, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Peter A. Dowben, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

March 2002

Comments

Published by EDP Sciences; Europhysics Letters 49 (2000) 624-630. Copyright 2000. Permission to use.

Abstract

The composition in the surface region of the Heusler alloy NiMnSb has been studied using angle-resolved X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, low-energy electron diffraction and spin-polarized inverse photoemission. The results are consistent with a generally Mn-Sb terminal layer, though the surface composition is very sensitive to preparation. The surface composition has a critical influence on the polarization near the Fermi level in spin-polarized inverse photoemission. Under some conditions, the polarization at the Fermi level for normal incidence inverse photoemission can reach values very close to 100% above background.