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Spin-orbit interaction and structure inversion asymmetry in combination with magnetic ordering is a promising route to novel materials with highly mobile spin-polarized carriers at the surface. Spin-resolved measurements of the photoemission current from the Si-terminated surface of the antiferromagnet TbRh2Si2 and their analysis within an ab initio one-step theory unveil an unusual triple winding of the electron spin along the fourfold-symmetric constant energy contours of the surface states. A two-band k.p model is presented that yields the triple winding as a cubic Rashba effect. The curious in-plane spin-momentum locking is remarkably robust and remains intact across a paramagnetic-antiferromagnetic transition in spite of spin-orbit interaction on Rh atoms being considerably weaker than the out-of-plane exchange field due to the Tb 4f moments., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures

The structural and electronic properties of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) grown on stepped Ni surfaces are systematically investigated using a cylindrical Ni crystal as a tunable substrate. Our experiments reveal homogeneous hBN monolayer coating of the entire Ni curved surface, which in turn undergoes an overall faceting. The faceted system is defined by step-free hBN/Ni(111) terraces alternating with strongly tilted hBN/Ni(115) or hBN/Ni(110) nanostripes, depending on whether we have A-type or B-type vicinal surfaces, respectively. Such deep substrate self-organization is explained by both the rigidity of the hBN lattice and the lack of registry with Ni crystal planes in the vicinity of the (111) surface. The analysis of the electronic properties by photoemission and absorption spectroscopies reveal a weaker hBN/Ni interaction in (110)- and (115)-oriented facets, as well as an upward shift of the valence band with respect to the band position at the hBN/Ni(111) terrace., Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures

Analyzing temperature dependent photoemission (PE) data of the ferromagnetic Kondo-lattice (KL) system YbNiSn in the light of the Periodic Anderson model (PAM) we show that the KL behavior is not limited to temperatures below a temperature T_K, defined empirically from resistivity and specificic heat measurements. As characteristic for weakly hybridized Ce and Yb systems, the PE spectra reveal a 4f-derived Fermi level peak, which reflects contributions from the Kondo resonance and its crystal electric field (CEF) satellites. In YbNiSn this peak has an unusual temperature dependence: With decreasing temperature a steady linear increase of intensity is observed which extends over a large interval ranging from 100 K down to 1 K without showing any peculiarities in the region of T_K ~ TC= 5.6 K. In the light of the single-impurity Anderson model (SIAM) this intensity variation reflects a linear increase of 4f occupancy with decreasing temperature, indicating an onset of Kondo screening at temperatures above 100 K. Within the PAM this phenomenon could be described by a non-Fermi liquid like T- linear damping of the self-energy which accounts phenomenologically for the feedback from the closely spaced CEF-states., Comment: Accepted to Phys. Rev. B

The Kondo model predicts that both the valence at low temperatures and its temperature dependence scale with the characteristic energy T_K of the Kondo interaction. Here, we study the evolution of the 4f occupancy with temperature in a series of Yb Kondo lattices using resonant X-ray emission spectroscopy. In agreement with simple theoretical models, we observe a scaling between the valence at low temperature and T_K obtained from thermodynamic measurements. In contrast, the temperature scale T_v at which the valence increases with temperature is almost the same in all investigated materials while the Kondo temperatures differ by almost four orders of magnitude. This observation is in remarkable contradiction to both naive expectation and precise theoretical predictions of the Kondo model, asking for further theoretical work in order to explain our findings. Our data exclude the presence of a quantum critical valence transition in YbRh2Si2.

Many-body interactions in crystalline solids can be conveniently described in terms of quasiparticles with strongly renormalized masses as compared to those of non-interacting particles. Examples of extreme mass renormalization are on the one hand graphene, where the charge carriers obey the linear dispersion relation of massless Dirac fermions, and on the other hand heavy-fermion materials where the effective electron mass approaches the mass of a proton. Here we show that both extremes, Dirac fermions like they are found in graphene and extremely-heavy quasiparticles characteristic for Kondo materials, may not only coexist in a solid but can undergo strong mutual interactions. Using the example of EuRh2Si2 we explicitly demonstrate that these interactions can take place at the surface and in the bulk. The presence of the linear dispersion is imposed solely by the crystal symmetry while the existence of heavy quasiparticles is caused by the localized nature of the 4f states., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures

Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, supplemented by theoretical calculations has been applied to study the electronic structure of heavy-fermion material CeFePO, a homologue to the Fe-based high-temperature superconductors, and CeFeAs_0.7P_0.3O, where the applied chemical pressure results in a ferromagnetic order of the 4f moments. A comparative analysis reveals characteristic differences in the Fe-derived band structure for these materials, implying a rather different hybridization of valence electrons to the localized 4f orbitals. In particular, our results suggest that the ferromagnetism of Ce moments in CeFeAs_0.7P_0.3O is mediated mainly by Fe 3d_xz/yz orbitals, while the Kondo screening in CeFePO is instead due to a strong interaction of Fe 3d_3z^2-r^2 orbitals., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B (Rapid)

We present a study of the evolution of magnetism from the quantum critical system YbRh2Si2 to the stable trivalent Yb system YbCo2Si2. Single crystals of Yb(Rh_(1-x)Co_x)2Si2 were grown for 0 < x < 1 and studied by means of magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, and specific heat measurements, as well as photoemission spectroscopy. The results evidence a complex magnetic phase diagram, with a non-monotonic evolution of T_N and two successive transitions for some compositions resulting in two tricritical points. The strong similarity with the phase diagram of YbRh2Si2 under pressure indicates that Co substitution basically corresponds to the application of positive chemical pressure. Analysis of the data proves a strong reduction of the Kondo temperature T_K with increasing Co content, T_K becoming smaller than T_N for x ~ 0.5, implying a strong localization of the 4f electrons. Furthermore, low-temperature susceptibility data confirm a competition between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic exchange. The series Yb(Rh_(1-x)Co_x)2Si2 provides an excellent experimental opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the magnetism at the quantum critical point in the vicinity of YbRh2Si2 where the antiferromagnetic phase disappears (T_N=>0)., Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures

We demonstrate that freeing a single-atom thick layer of hexagonal boron nitride (hbn) from tight chemical bonding to a Ni(111) thin film grown on a W(110) substrate can be achieved by intercalation of Au atoms into the interface. This process has been systematically investigated using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission and absorption techniques. It has been demonstrated that the transition of the hbn layer from the "rigid" into the "quasi-freestanding" state is accompanied by a change of its lattice constant. Using chemical vapor deposition, graphene has been successfully synthesized on the insulating, quasi-freestanding hbn monolayer. We anticipate that the in situ synthesized weakly interacting graphene/hbn double layered system could be further developed for technological applications and may provide perspectives for further inquiry into the unusual electronic properties of graphene., Comment: in print in Phys. Rev. B

Being homologue to the new, Fe-based type of high-temperature superconductors, CeFePO exhibits magnetism, Kondo and heavy-fermion phenomena. We experimentally studied the electronic structure of CeFePO by means of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. In particular, contributions of the Ce 4f-derived states and their hybridization to the Fe 3d bands were explored using both symmetry selection rules for excitation and their photoionization cross-section variations as a function of photon energy. It was experimentally found - and later on confirmed by LDA as well as DMFT calculations - that the Ce 4f states hybridize to the Fe 3d states of d_{3z^2-r^2} symmetry near the Fermi level that discloses their participation in the occurring electron-correlation phenomena and provides insight into mechanism of superconductivity in oxopnictides., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures

Here we report spin- and angle-resolved photoemission studies of the inert graphene layer formed on the surface of a ferromagnetic material, Ni(111). X-ray photoemission and spin-resolved spectroscopy of secondary electrons reveal that graphene behaves like a protection layer on the Ni(111) surface preventing its reaction with adsorbed oxygen. Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of $\pi$ states of graphene on Ni(111) shows a strong dependence of binding energy of these states on the direction of magnetization of the sample. We conclude that the observed extraordinary high "splitting" up to 225 meV of the $\pi$ band in the graphene layer is a manifes-tation of the Rashba effect which provides a direct possibility to a flexible control of an electron spin in a graphene-based spin-FET., Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures

Angle-resolved photoemission spectra of a monolayer of Yb on W(110) reveal energy splittings and dispersion of the Yb 4f states that are obviously due to their hybridization with W-derived valence bands. These effects occur at well defined points of the surface Brillouin zone although a smearing over reciprocal space is expected from the structural incoherence of the Yb and W lattices. We conclude therefore that dispersion is not related to the periodic arrangement of the $4f$ states but reflects the k-dependent interaction of a single Yb 4f impurity with W bands., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures

Here we report the photoemission studies of intercalation process of Fe underneath graphene layer on Ni(111). The process of intercalation was monitored via XPS of corresponding core levels and UPS of the graphene-derived $\pi$ states in the valence band. \textit{fcc}-Fe films with thickness of 2-5 monolayers at the interface between graphene and Ni(111) form epitaxial magnetic layer passivated from the reactive environment, like for example oxygen gas., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures

Here, we report on angle-resolved photoemission studies of the electronic $\pi$ states of high-quality epitaxial graphene layer on a Ni(111) surface. In this system electron binding energy of the $\pi$ states shows a strong dependence on the magnetization reversal of the Ni film. The observed extraordinary large energy shift up to 225 meV of the graphene-derived $\pi$-band peak position for opposite magnetization directions is attributed to a manifestation of the Rashba interaction of spin-polarized electrons in the $\pi$ band with the large effective electric field at graphene/Ni interface. Our findings show that an electron spin in the graphene layer can be manipulated in a controlled way and have important implications for graphene-based spintronic devices., Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures in JPEG-format

We report on an investigation of spin-polarized secondary electron emission from the chemically inert system: graphene/Ni(111). An ordered passivated graphene layer (monolayer of graphite, MG) was formed on Ni(111) surface via cracking of propylene gas. The spin-polarization of the secondary electrons obtained from this system upon photoemission is only slightly lower than the one from the clean Ni surface, but does not change upon large oxygen exposure. These results suggest to use such passivated Ni(111) surface as a source of spin-polarized electrons stable against adsorption of reactive gases., Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures

Spin- and angle-resolved resonant (Ce $4d\to4f$) photoemission spectra of a monolayer Ce on Fe(110) reveal spin-dependent changes of the Fermi-level peak intensities. That indicate a spin-dependence of $4f$ hybridization and, thus, of $4f$ occupancy and local moment. The phenomenon is described in the framework of the periodic Anderson model by $4f$ electron hopping into the exchange split Fe 3d derived bands that form a spin-gap at the Fermi energy around the $\bar{\Gamma}$ point of the surface Brillouin zone.

Strong angle-dependent intensity variations of the Fermi-level feature are observed in 4d - 4f resonant photoemission spectra of CePd$_3$(111), that reveal the periodicity of the lattice and largest intensity close to the Gamma points of the surface Brillouin zone. In the framework of a simplified periodic Anderson model the phenomena may quantitatively be described by a wave-vector dependence of the electron hopping matrix elements caused by Fermi-level crossings of non-4f-derived energy bands.