First-principles calculations of x-ray absorption spectra (XAS) and the related x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) are presented for ultrathin Fe layers on a BaTiO3 (BTO) single-crystal surface within the framework of density functional theory. We have investigated the dependence of XAS and XMCD of Fe L2,3 edges as a function of Fe layer thickness (1–3 ML) and on polarization direction of...

We have investigated the magnetic electronic structures of PtMnSb, NiMnSb, Ni2MnSb,MnSb, MnAlGe, and Mn2Sb by soft-x-ray absorption spectroscopy ~XAS! and magnetic circular dichroism ~MCD! measurements in the Mn 2p core absorption region. Different degrees of the electron itinerancy of the Mn 3d states are discussed. The large orbital angular momentum of the Mn 3d electrons is revealed for MnSb...

Soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism was used to study a paramagnetic bioinogranic system. We measured the Fe L edges of Pyrococcus furiosus rubredoxin, using circularly polarized synchrotron radiation, a split-coil super-conducting magnet, low sample temperatures, and fluorescence detection. The observed dichroism effect is strong (30%) and in general agreement with the calculation. The meth...

We present experimental evidence for a three-dimensional noncollinear antiferromagnetic spin structure in ultrathin single-crystalline fcc Fe50Mn50 layers using magnetic circular dichroism photoelectron emission microscopy and x-ray magnetic linear dichroism. Layer-resolved as-grown domain images of epitaxial trilayers grown on Cu(001) in which FeMn is sandwiched between ferromagnetic layers wi...

Optical rotatory dispersion and circular dichroism spectra of the Pseudomonas blue protein and lactase B from Polyporus versicolor are presented from 190 to 700 mp. Circular dichroism spectra of both proteins show six ellipticity bands above 300 rnp associated with the copper chromophore, indicating more transitions to be present in these copper protein complexes than the three parity-forbidden...

Optical activity and circular dichroism are fascinating physical phenomena originating from the interaction of light with chiral molecules or other nano objects lacking mirror symmetries in three-dimensional (3D) space. While chiral optical properties are weak in most of naturally occurring materials, they can be engineered and significantly enhanced in synthetic optical media known as chiral m...

Electron energy-loss magnetic chiral dichroism is a powerful technique that allows the local magnetic properties of materials to be measured quantitatively with close-to-atomic spatial resolution and element specificity in the transmission electron microscope. Until now, the technique has been restricted to measurements of the magnetic circular dichroism signal in the electron beam direction. H...

The linear dichroism is calculated for DNA fragments in their thermal bending equilibrium. These calculations are given for relatively short fragments, where bent molecules can be described by an arc model. Using the measured value of 350 A for the persistence length, the limit dichroism (corresponding to complete alignment) decreases due to thermal bending, e.g., for a fragment with 100 base p...