Spin filtering of free electrons by magnetic multilayers: towards an efficient self-calibrated spin polarimeter.

An asymmetrical ferromagnetic cobalt bilayer (18 nm Au/0.8 nm Co/2.2 nm Au/1.3 nm Co/1.5 nm Au) operates as a self-calibrated spin polarimeter with a high spin selectivity for free electrons injected at a few eV above the Fermi level. We present the analysis of transmitted currents as a function of the incident energy, based on a model of spin polarization dilution into the first gold layer and ballistic transport close to the vacuum level throughout the sample.