k dependence of the spin polarization in Mn5Ge3/Ge(111) thin films

Mn5Ge3(001) thin films grown on Ge(111) were studied by angle-and spin-resolved photoemission using synchrotron radiation in the 17-40 eV photon energy range. The photoelectron spectra were simulated starting from a first-principles band-structure calculation for the ground state, using the free-electron approximation for the final states, taking into account photohole lifetime effects and k(perpendicular to) broadening plus correlation effects, but ignoring transition matrix elements. The measured spin polarizations for the various k points investigated in the Gamma MLA plane of the Brillouin zone are found to be in fair enough agreement with the simulated ones, providing a strong support to the ground-state band-structure calculations. Possible origins for the departures between either simulations and experiments or previous and present experiments are discussed.