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Updated: Jun 27, 2025

Experimental Methods for Spin- and Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy Combined with Polarization-Variable Laser
Published on: June 28, 2018
Spin polarization of photoelectrons emitted from spin-orbit coupled surface states of Pb/Ge(111)
Koichiro Yaji1, Kenta Kuroda2,3, Shunsuke Tsuda1
1Center for Basic Research on Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 3-13 Sakura, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0003, Japan.
Abstract:
We report that the spin vector of photoelectrons emitted from an atomic layer Pb grown on a germanium substrate [Pb/Ge(111)] can be controlled using an electric field of light. The spin polarization of photoelectrons excited by a linearly polarized light is precisely investigated by spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The spin polarization of the photoelectrons observed in the mirror plane reverses between p- and s-polarized lights. Considering the dipole transition selection rule, the surface state of Pb/Ge(111) is represented by a linear combination of symmetric and asymmetric orbital components coupled with spins in mutually opposite directions. The spin direction of the photoelectrons is different from that of the initial state when the electric field vector of linearly polarized light deviates from p- or s-polarization conditions. The quantum interference in the photoexcitation process can determine the direction of the spin vector of photoelectrons.
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