High resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy of spin waves in ultra‐thin cobalt films. (15th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Michel, Eugen; Ibach, Harald; Schneider, Claus M.
• Other Names: Suzuki Motofumi guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Surface and interface analysis. Volume 48:Number 11(2016)
• Page Start: 1104
• Page End: 1107
• Publication Date: 2016-08-15
• Subjects: electron energy loss spectroscopy -- exchange spin waves -- ultra‐thin films; Surfaces (Physics) -- Periodicals; Surface chemistry -- Periodicals; Thin films -- Periodicals; 541.33
• DOI: 10.1002/sia.6127
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0142-2421

Abstract

Abstract : Electron energy loss spectroscopy has successfully established itself as the experimental method to study exchange‐dominated, high‐momentum spin waves in ultra‐thin films. Because of insufficient energy resolution, previous studies were limited to spin waves in the high energy range and to wave vectors larger than about q || = 0.4 Å −1 . In this regime, spin waves are strongly damped by decay into Stoner excitations. Furthermore, the spin wave signal of a multilayer film consists of several overlapping modes. After implementation of several technical modifications, our electron spectrometer now enables the study of spin waves with an energy resolution down to 2 meV, and thereby the discrimination of several spin wave modes in ultra‐thin films as well as the study of the intrinsic width of modes down to 1 meV. Examples are presented for fcc and hcp cobalt films and discussed in terms of current theoretical models. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.