Spin-Orbit Effects in Spin-Resolved L2,3 Core Level Photoemission of 3d Ferromagnetic Thin Films

We present spin-resolved 2p core level photoemission for the 3d transition metal films of Fe and Co grown on Cu(100). We observe clear spin asymmetry in the main 2p core level photoemission peaks of Fe and Co films consistent with trends in the bulk magnetic moments. The spin polarization can be strongly enhanced, by variation of the experimental geometry, when the photoemission is undertaken with circularly polarized light, indicating that spin-orbit interaction can have a profound in spin polarized photoemission. Further spin polarized photoemission studies using variable circularly polarized light at high photon energies, high flux are indicated, underscoring the value of synchrotron measurements at facilities with increased beam stability.