Abstract
We predict the presence of strong dichroic effects induced by x-ray beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM). Taking the difference between spectra obtained with positive and negative OAM states allows the separation of quadrupolar from dipolar transitions at, e.g., the transition-metal edges, enabling the study of the unoccupied states in the absence of strong core-hole effects. We study the dependence of OAM-induced x-ray dichroism on different polarization vectors and derive sum rules relating the integrated intensity to ground-state hole densities. Calculations of spectral line shapes for cuprates, manganites, and ruthenates confirm the strong OAM-induced dichroism and indicate the potential of this new spectroscopy in the fields of orbital physics and magnetism.
- Received 3 October 2006
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.157401
©2007 American Physical Society