Spin-polarised electron studies of low-dimensional magnetic systems

Spin-polarised electrons provide unique experimental access to magnetic properties of surfaces and layered structures. The combined use of different techniques allows us to develop a microscopic picture of the physics underlying the macroscopic magnetic properties, e.g. magnetic phase transitions, magnetic coupling phenomena, exceptional surface magnetic properties. In this paper, two techniques are described together with the kind of questions addressed by them. Spin-resolved appearance potential spectroscopy gives local magnetic information about multi-component systems by probing the spin-dependent local density of unoccupied states. Spin-resolved inverse photo-emission measures specific electron states above the Fermi level. In particular, two-dimensional states serve as magnetic sensors at surfaces. Examples from surfaces as well as thin-film structures of band and local-moment ferromagnets are presented.