DICHROIC X-RAY-FLUORESCENCE

We point out that dichroism in x-ray-emission spectra can be studied in fluorescence experiments without resolving the chirality of the emitted radiation, provided the incident photons are circularly polarized. We argue that such experiments would be unique probes of metallic magnetism. The effect is demonstrated in iron using a first-principles calculation based on a fully relativistic multiple-scattering theory.