The general scientific objective of this program is to discover and investigate physical phenomena associated with the abrupt termination of a crystal lattice which occurs at a crystal/vacuum interface, and similar phenomena associated with crystal expitaxial layer interfaces and with epitaxial multilayer structures. Specific physical phenomena which are manifestations of intrinsic surface and interface properties include electronic surface states, relaxation and reconstruction, surface screening and core level shifts and surface crystal field effects. These phenomena are studied using a variety of experimental techniques which are sensitive to structure (low energy electron diffraction), composition (Auger electron spectroscopy), electronic properties (angle resolved photoelectron emission with synchrotron radiation) and magnetic properties (magneto-optical and spin-polarization techniques). The experimental studies are carried out and coordinated with theoretical/numerical work of a similar nature. This project addresses fundamental issues having important technological significance, specifically in relation to information storage based on these magnetic films.
