The X-ray vectorial effect revisited

Measurements of the linear polarisation dependence of the X-ray photocurrent from gold were made at the Daresbury Synchrotron Radiation Source using a novel rotating chamber and the tuneable linear polarisation of the undulator beamline 5U.1. The overall energy range was 65–1000 eV. At a grazing angle of 8°, significant polarisation sensitivity was observed (modulation factor 0.02<|M|<0.1) for energies between 65 and 150 eV; this polarisation dependence can be fully accounted for by differences in the s- and p-state Fresnel reflectivities for gold.