Influence of plural scattering on the quantitative determination of spin and orbital moments in electron magnetic chiral dichroism measurements

• Recent quantitative measurements of the orbital to spin magnetic moment ratio m(L)/m(S) in electron magnetic circular dichroism (EMCD) experiments have given a m(L)/m(S) ratio that is larger than commonly accepted values. We demonstrate here that plural scattering may noticeably influence the m(L)/m(S) ratio. An equation is derived which describes its influence as a function of the spectral integrals of the plasmon scattering region and zero-loss peak. The influence of the electron-plasmon scattering can be removed when electron energy-loss spectra of the ionization edge are deconvoluted by the low-loss signal. For a bcc-Fe sample we obtain m(L)/m(S) = 0.04 after plasmon removal. We conclude that the plural scattering should be considered when extracting quantitative information from EMCD measurements.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

circular dichroism

transmission electron microscopy

density functional theory

dynamical diffraction theory

plural scattering

multiple inelastic scattering

Physics

Fysik

Magnetism

Magnetism

TECHNOLOGY

TEKNIKVETENSKAP

Engineering Science with specialization in Solid State Physics

Teknisk fysik med inriktning mot fasta tillståndets fysik

Teknisk fysik med inriktning mot materialvetenskap

Engineering Science with specialization in Materials Science

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)