Chemical effects of high‐resolution Yb Lγ 4 emission spectra: a possible probe for chemical analysis

What is it about?

An ‘eccentric’ X-ray emission, YbLγ4, was measured for Yb metal, Yb2O3, YbF3, b-YbAlB4, YbNi3Al9, and YbNi3Ga9 with a resolution of ~0.9 eV. The spectra were substantially different depending on the chemical environment of Yb. The position of the Lγ4 + Lγ4' band shifts depending on the valence of Yb (v): ~4.4 eV from divalent to trivalent. The Lγ4 + Lγ4' spectra of the mixed valence intermetallics, i.e. YbNi3Ga9 (v = 2.59) and b-YbAlB4 (v = 2.75), were fairly well reproduced by averaging the spectra of divalent Yb and trivalent YbNi3Al9, which suggests the possibility of using the YbLγ4 emission for determining the valence of Yb intermetallics.

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Why is it important?

This exotic emission is a potentially useful probe for chemical state analysis, material characterization (including determination of Yb valences), and many-body effects in Yb core excited states.