Atomic correlations in itinerant ferromagnets: Quasi-particle bands of nickel

¹ Oxford University, Physics and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
² Fachbereich Physik, Philipps-Universität Marburg - D-35032 Marburg, Germany
³ Institut für Physik, Universität Dortmund - D-44221 Dortmund, Germany
⁴ Experimentalphysik II, Universität Augsburg - D-86135 Augsburg, Germany
⁵ Experimentalphysik, Universität des Saarlandes - D-66041 Saarbrücken, Germany
⁶ Institute for Solid-State Physics, University of Tokyo Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan
⁷ Department of Physical Sciences, Hiroshima University Higashi, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan

Received: 5 July 2002
Accepted: 12 December 2002

Abstract

The Gutzwiller theory is demonstrated to resolve most of the long-standing discrepancies between experiment and theory on the quasi-particle bands of ferromagnetic nickel. This is confirmed by new angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy data along various high-symmetry lines of the bulk Brillouin zone obtained under full control of the three-dimensional momentum. Our findings support the view of itinerant ferromagnetism as a consequence of atomic correlations.