We studied spin effects in the interaction of slow H atoms with a spin-polarized electron gas. Density functional theory and the local spin density approximation were used to describe the perturbation introduced by the H atom in the medium. Scattering of the Fermi electrons in the spin-dependent Kohn-Sham potential were also calculated and show that the energy loss of the projectile depends on the bound-electron spin polarization. The relevance of these findings in the interpretation of experimental spectra of kinetic-emission electron yields is discussed. © 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

This work was supported in part by the Basque Departamento de Educación, Universidades e Investigación, the University of the Basque Country UPV/ EHU (9/UPV 00206.215-13639/2001), and the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (MAT2001-0946 and BSM2001-0076). RDM acknowledges financial support by the Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia (Gipuzkoa Fellows Program).

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