Direct study of the f-electron configuration in lanthanide systems

The valence shell electron configurations within a few electron volts above the Fermi level in cerium, ytterbium, europium and samarium compounds were probed by resonant X-ray emission spectroscopy (RXES) at the L-3 absorption pre-edge. The rare earth systems show distinct spectral signatures depending on the f-electron configuration. The high energy resolution experimental results reported here are well reproduced by atomic multiplet calculations confirming the localized character of the 4f electrons. The magnitude of the electron-electron interactions within the 4f shell and between 3d and 4f electrons is analyzed. The present technique is a powerful tool for the study of the 4f valence electron configuration that, unlike L-3 absorption spectroscopy at the main edge, is little influenced by valence electron relaxation following core hole creation.