Electronic band structure and Fermi surface of ferromagnetic Tb:: Experiment and theory

We have investigated the bulk valence-band structure of Tb metal in the ferromagnetic phase by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and full-potential-linearized-augmented-plane-wave calculations. The experiments were performed at undulator beamline 7.0.1 of the Advanced Light Source using a three-axis rotatable low-temperature goniometer and a display-type photoelectron spectrometer that give access to a large region of momentum space. The results of our calculations, which make use of recent progress in the theoretical description of the magnetic properties of 4f metals, are in remarkably good agreement with experiment. This can be best seen from a comparison of the electronic structure in high-symmetry directions, at critical points, on Fermi contours, and at band crossings with the Fermi level. To our knowledge, the present work represents the most detailed combined experimental and theoretical study of the electronic structure of a magnetic lanthanide metal to date.