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Monte Carlo study of the spin polarization enhancement in the low‐energy secondary electron emission from ferromagnetic materials
Author(s) -
Yasuda Masaaki,
Katsuse Ryuhei,
Kawata Hiroaki,
Murata Kenji
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.1499
Subject(s) - secondary electrons , electron , spin polarization , monte carlo method , secondary emission , excitation , ferromagnetism , scattering , condensed matter physics , physics , polarization (electrochemistry) , atomic physics , spin (aerodynamics) , chemistry , optics , quantum mechanics , statistics , mathematics , thermodynamics
The spin polarization enhancement of secondary electrons emitted from ferromagnetic materials at low kinetic energies is studied by a Monte Carlo simulation of electron scattering that considers the spin direction of generated secondary electrons. A modified model of electron scattering in the magnetic materials is proposed that introduces electron–hole pair excitation processes with opposite spin (Stoner excitations). The two major characteristics—the primary energy dependence and the spectrum of secondary electron spin polarization—are studied with both the previous and the modified simulation models. A better agreement with experimental measurements is obtained in both characteristics with the modified model. The enhancement of the secondary spin polarization at low energies is reproduced by the introduction of Stoner excitation processes into the simulation. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.