Imaging Of Dichroism In Photoemission Electron Microscopy At Nonmagnetic Materials Using Circularly Polarized Soft X-Rays

A new approach for investigations of circular dichroism in the angular distribution of photoelectrons (CDAD) is presented. The image contrast using a photoemission line of a certain material is combined with imaging of the angular distribution pattern using a photoemission electron microscope (PEEM). CDAD can be used to investigate pure scattering information by means of the same instrument in microscopically selected regions on a surface. The experiment combines angle-resolved XPS imaging with the indirect mapping of the local environment of atoms by means of CDAD holography. In a conventional photoelectron diffraction or photoelectron holography experiment, it is necessary to move the sample and/or the detector; for example, a rotatable electron analyzer is used to map a full angular pattern. In the present approach, the diffraction plane is mapped for a certain kinetic energy of electrons in the backfocal plane. An imaging high-pass energy filter has been used in combination with the PEEM in order to acquire surface images and/or diffraction pattern maps. Direct photoemission from the W-4f core levels was observed at different photon polarization to obtain two images and two diffraction patterns of the W-4f emission line using light of opposite helicity. The agreement of calculations with the experimental result is satisfactory. This constitutes a very encouraging starting point for the use of the CDAD holography together with the PEEM technique providing mesoscopic and atomic as well as chemical resolution in microselected areas on solid surfaces.