Fine-structure analysis of spin-polarized low-energy electron diffraction from W(001)

The theory of spin-polarized low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) is used to analyze the observed fine structure in experimental data for W(001). Within a spin-dependent scattering model, a saturated image barrier provides a satisfactory description, and the analysis leads to a model of the surface potential barrier for W(001). Simpler models, such as those commonly used for LEED intensity calculations, are unable to reproduce all of the observed structure. The complex fine structure of the spin-polarized LEED intensity curves is interpreted in terms of the interaction between Bragg peaks, spin-dependent features, and barrier scattering effects. Resonance effects do not need to be invoked.