In Memory of H. C. Siegmann - the father of modern spin physics Joachim Stöhr SLAC

Ph.D. in 1961, LMU Munich - last student of Walther Gerlach Full professor at ETH Zurich in years at ETH: supervised 120 Diploma and 62 PhD dissertations Robert Wichard Pohl Prize 1992 from the German Physical Society After retirement from ETH in 2000, guest Professor at SLAC Co-authored textbook on magnetism and helped supervise 15 PhD dissertations

Hans’ role in magnetism research a historical perspective

Magnetic structure of matter: atomic moments Bulk atomic and magnetic structure e.g. NiO Prize came at the end of an era in magnetism… intensive work in by 1970s much was known about bulk magnetic structure Modern magnetism is different the new era started in 1970s… B. N. BrockhouseC. G. Shull

: H. C. Siegmann Spin polarized photoemission - spin dependent electronic structure of matter Invention of the GaAs spin polarized source spin polarized electron beams : P. Grünberg and A. Fert Discovery of the GMR effect Atomic engineering of novel materials The pioneers of modern spin physics These discoveries have moved the quantum mechanical concept of the electron spin from its scientific discovery in the 1920s to a cornerstone of modern technology. They have triggered the spintronics revolution.

“for the discovery of giant magnetoresistance” A. FertP. Grünberg nm Discovery combined two concepts: atomic engineering of “sandwiches” with different magnetization directions current becomes spin polarized and flows in two separate (“up” and “down”) spin channels with different resistivity – Mott’s “two current model”

Beams of spin polarized atoms Walther Gerlach

The Stern-Gerlach experiment beginning of transient spins m Postcard by Walther Gerlach to Niels Bohr, Feb. 8, 1922  = a + b cos  = a 2 – b 2 +s z -s z Note: neutral atoms (no charge) with spin QM wavefunction

breakthrough 1969 – a key breakthrough the discovery of spin-polarized photoemission or from spin polarized atoms to spin polarized electrons Importance: electron spin polarization present in material is preserved when electrons are liberated with photons spin polarized electrons can reveal spin structure of materials !

Postcard from Walther Gerlach sent March 28, 1969 Discovery was prominently acknowledged Letter from Sir Neville Mott sent March 268, 1971

At room temperature, magnetite is a half metal Conduction by minority spins only explains Mott’s model of Verwey transition Spin polarized photoemission has made important contributions Electronic structure of the oldest magnetic material: magnetite Fe 3 O K metallic state

Observed exchange splitting smaller than calculated Observed splitting depends on position in Brillouin zone Observed bandwidth is narrower than calculated Observed temperature dependence cannot be calculated Spin polarized photoemission has revealed theoretical limitations electronic correlations can only be approximately described Ni(110) spin polarized bands

The beginning of spin-polarized electron beams The GaAs spin-polarized gun Garwin, Pierce, Siegmann, Helv. Phys. Acta, 47, 29 (1974) and

Spin polarized electron beams in high energy physics in high energy physics

Invitation to SLAC

Beginnings of The Standard Model - The Electroweak Force Steven WeinbergSheldon Glashow Abdus Salam Proposed in the 1960s by Weinberg, Glashow, and Salam In 1967 Weinberg publishes “A Model of Leptons” which met all theoretical goals The model produces a major controversy: The proposed electroweak model violates parity SLAC test of a theoretical prediction SLAC test of a theoretical prediction Unification of the electromagnetic and weak forces into one “electroweak” force Unification of the electromagnetic and weak forces into one “electroweak” force

If parity is violated, oppositely polarized electrons will scatter with different probabilities GaAs Source Characteristics: High intensity: up to 5x10 11 electrons per pulse at 120 Hz Good polarization: ~ 40% Fast reversal of polarization C. Y. Prescott et. al., Physics Letters 77B, 347 (1978); C. Y. Prescott et. al., Physics Letters 84B, 524 (1979); Physics Today 9, 17 (1978) The SLAC experiment produced the first observation of parity violation in a neutral current interaction! SLAC 1978: Test of Weinberg’s model

Spin polarized electron beams in magnetism in magnetism

The current flows independently in two spin channels -- no spin flips ! Mott’s “two-currrent model” explains the GMR effect 1936: Mott’s “two-currrent model” explains Gerlach’s resisitivity of Ni Spin dependent transport in materials

An ingenious test of the “two current model” probability of spin-conserving and “spin-flip” transitions transport no suitable spin polarization detector spin detector beam EVEV diffusive transport ballistic transport Energy

Test of the two current model with spin polarized beams No spin flips are detected ! Siegmann, Meier, Erbudak, Landolt, Adv. El. and El. Phys. 62, (1984)

The end