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Determination of the electron excitation spectrum in scandium and yttrium by means of characteristic energy loss measurements
Author(s) -
BrousseauLahaye B.,
Colliex C.,
Frandon J.,
Gasgnier M.,
Trebbia P.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.2220690128
Subject(s) - scandium , yttrium , atomic physics , spectral line , electron , excitation , electron excitation , plasmon , materials science , emission spectrum , absorption edge , range (aeronautics) , chemistry , band gap , physics , inorganic chemistry , optoelectronics , astronomy , metallurgy , composite material , oxide , quantum mechanics
Energy loss spectra of high energy electrons transmitted through thin foils of scandium and yttrium have been registered using two different experimental techniques. A detailed comparison of the results allows to distinguish between the spectra of metals, hydrides, and oxides and to calculate the optical constants in the pure metals. It is shown that the electron excitation spectra of these elements contain two main contributions in the energy range between 5 and 60 eV: collective excitations of the conduction electrons at 14 and 12 eV (plasmon peaks) and a strong absorption band due to the excitation of the inner 3p and 4p electrons between 30 and 50 eV. At higher energies, these spectra display well‐defined lines corresponding to the L 2−3 edge in scandium and to the M 4−5 and M 2−3 edges in yttrium which are characteristic of the atom.