Growth and spin-resolved photoemission spectroscopy of the epitaxial α-Al[sub 2]O[sub 3]/Fe(110) system.

Electronic and structural properties of epitaxial ultrathin aluminum oxide layers grown on epitaxial Fe(110) films were investigated at room temperature by means of spin-, angle- and energy-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. A spin polarization of - ( 15±5)% near the Fermi energy E[sub F] is found for 1 (ML) of α-A1[sub 2]O[sub 3] on epitaxial Fe(110). This value results from the attenuation of -80% of Fe(110) by the oxide layer thickness and the spin-independent part of the scattering cross section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]