Spin Polarisation in Heusler alloy based spintronics systems probed by SPINHAXPES

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Hubert Ebert
• Subject Area: Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2010 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 131850600

Based on the one-step model of photo emission a description of spin-resolved hard X-ray photo emission (SPINHAXPES) will be developed that equally accounts for relativistic and correlation effects as well as disorder with respect to atomic and spin configurations. In particular, it will properly deal with specific features due to the use of the standing wave technique and high photon energy. The developments will be exploited for a detailed investigation on GMR- and TMR-devices based on half-metallic Heusler alloys. The focus will be put on the spin-polarisation at the Fermi-energy at interfaces because it is of central importance for spin-dependent transport. The influence of various distorting factors as structural imperfections or thermal fluctuations will be considered in a detailed way. Special emphasis will be put on a study on the spin polarisation at finite temperatures. For this, a variety of complementary approaches will be applied including a feed-back of the results of Monte Carlo simulations into electronic structure calculations. The planned investigations will clearly demonstrate the potential of SPINHAXPES as a new probe for the spin polarisation of buried interfaces and will at the same time directly support the complementary experimental work of the collaborators Inomata, Felser et al.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants