Electronic quasiparticles and evolution of Fermi level spin states in thin magnetic layers

Here we report on high-resolution photoemission of iron layers grown on a W(1 1 0) substrate. The evolution of the substrate states upon sub-monolayer adsorption of Fe atoms leads to a shift in surface state binding energy. For thicker (1 1 0) films, sharp metallic surface states are obtained. Their dispersion displays the signature of quasiparticle renormalization due to dressing with excitations. The energy scale is characteristic for the spin wave spectrum in iron, thereby giving evidence of electron–magnon coupling. Furthermore, it is found that quantum well states occur as a function of layer thickness. These modify the spin density of states at the Fermi level in the ferromagnetic film.