i-RTG Lectures

The spin degree of freedom plays a fundamental role in the quantum physics of materials. I will give an introduction to spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (spin-ARPES) which provides a momentum-selective experimental probe of spin-polarized electrons in crystalline matter. I will give a brief overview of different implementations of spin-ARPES, focusing on spin-resolving momentum microscopy that allows for parallel spin imaging in 2D momentum space. Based on case studies, I will discuss how the measured photoelectron spin polarization is influenced by spin-orbit interaction and experimental geometry. Finally, I will discuss experimental challenges in the study of unconventional symmetry-broken phases arising from spatial inhomogeneity and domain formation.