AUTHOR=Tusche Christian , Chen Ying-Jiun , Schneider Claus M. 

TITLE=Low-energy spin-polarized electrons: their role in surface physics

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physics

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physics/articles/10.3389/fphy.2024.1349529

DOI=10.3389/fphy.2024.1349529

ISSN=2296-424X

ABSTRACT=<p>Low-energy (<inline-formula id="inf1"><mml:math id="m1" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mo>∼</mml:mo><mml:mn>100</mml:mn></mml:math></inline-formula>eV) electrons have been employed for more than half a century to investigate physical, chemical and electronic phenomena in condensed matter and surface physics. A particular role may be attributed to a purely quantum-mechanical property of the electron–its <italic>spin</italic> or intrinsic angular momentum. Since the 1970s the electron spin has been indispensable in determining the role of spin-dependent interactions, such as exchange interaction and spin-orbit coupling and their consequences. Most recently, the aspect of topology and its role in condensed matter systems has given a new drive to the investigation of the electron spin and spin textures in such materials. New results on time-dependent ultrafast phenomena may become available by the availability of new intense lasers and laser-driven sources.</p>