XAFS and XMCD Spectra at the Surface and Interface of Ultrathin Films Observed by the Depth-Resolved XAFS/XMCD Technique

Abstract

A depth-resolved X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) technique has been developed by using the detection-angle dependence of the effective escape depth of the Auger electrons in the electron-yield XAFS measurement. The technique is applied to a Ni thin film covered with oxygen adsorbates in order to extract the XAFS and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectra at the surface layer. The chemical state and the magnetic structure of the surface layer are clarified from the extracted XAFS/XMCD spectra. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2012.521]