Electron spin precession upon reflecting from ferromagnetic surfaces

Electrons with the polarization vector perpendicular to the magnetization of Fe, Co, and Ni films are spin analyzed after reflecting from the ferromagnet. At low primary electron energies a strong spin motion is found, namely, a precession of the polarization around the magnetization and a change of the angle between the polarization and the magnetization. This observation can be accounted for by the existence of spin-dependent gaps in the electronic band structure of the ferromagnets.