Abstract
The (111)‐surface of a gold single crystal was irradiated by circularly polarized light and the spin polarization of the photoemitted electrons was measured in the light energy range 2.0 eV?hν?9.5 eV and for different work functions. Several interband energies have been accurately derived; they agree satisfactorily with existing band structure calculations. The symmetry character of the bands near Ef has been unambiguously assessed: in particular, experimental evidence of their sp‐d hybridization properties has been obtained.