Figure 1. Temperature-dependent contact potential (surface work function) and spin-polarized photoemission.

(a) Temperature- dependent contact potential difference (CPD) measurement of gold coated with a self-assembled monolayer of L-polyalanine, bound to the surface through the carbon terminal. Zero voltage indicates the CPD of the bare gold. (b,c) Energy distribution of photoelectrons ejected from the gold substrate using a 248 nm laser with clockwise (+, blue) or counter clockwise (−, red) circularly polarized light, at temperatures of 297 K (b) or 250 K (c). Adapted from ref. 5, used with permission.