| Spin Polarized Auger Electron Spectroscopy (SPAES) is found to have application for investigating fundamental properties as well as element specific local magnetization information on magnetic materials. By using the uniqueness of the UTA-SEMPA tool, one can obtain the surface magnetic domain microstructure and also perform SPAES studies by probing a single domain at the surface. In the current study, knowing the probed domain, spin polarization of electrons from super Coster-Kronig MVV Auger emissions on 3%Si-Fe sheets have been investigated. It is observed that on both sides of 180° domains, separated by a domain wall with an out-of-plane component of magnetization, the spin polarized Auger spectra exhibit similar distributions with high polarization structures, which are consistent with the published data. The element specificity of the system is applied to Gd-Co composite system. Details of 4d core hole initiated Auger transitions showed that the 5d states have enhanced spin polarization, confirming the coupling of moments in the composite system via 5d states of Gd. It is also unambiguously observed that Co magnetic moments are indeed aligned antiparallel to the Gd ones via 4f-5d positive exchange and 3d-5d hybridization. |
