Spin-orbit interaction in the electronic structure of surfaces and its detection by photoelectron spectroscopy

DIPC Seminars

Speaker

Hendrik Bentmann (University of Würzburg, Germany)

When

2016/07/06
14:00

Place

Donostia International Physics Center

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**Spin-orbit interaction in the electronic structure of surfaces and its detection by photoelectron spectroscopy ** Abstract: Spin-polarized electronic states at the surfaces of materials with strong spin-orbit interaction currently attract considerable interest in condensed matter physics, e.g. in the context of topological insulators. Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES) directly probes the band dispersion of these states, and, for appropriate experimental conditions, even allows one to address their spin properties. Here I will present recent ARPES studies of spin-orbit coupled surface states where systematic variation of polarization and energy of the exciting light are combined with high energy resolution and spin-resolved photoelectron detection. I will discuss specific examples where this experimental approach could provide insight into spin- polarization and orbital character [1] as well as hybridization effects [2] in the electronic structure. Furthermore, based on several experimental studies, I will address the more general question to which extent the measured photoelectron spin polarization is reflecting the spin properties of the probed electronic state in the solid. [1] H. Maaß et al., Nature Communications, 7, 11621 (2016). [2] C. Seibel et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 066802 (2015).