Valence electronic structure of β-FeSi2 single crystal investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation

Abstract

AbstractValence electronic structure of β-FeSi2 single crystal has been investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. The plate-type β-FeSi2 single crystal has been grown by chemical vapor transport method. The surface contamination and oxide layer were removed by Ne+ ion sputtering. The dependence of the valence band spectra on exciting photon energy shows that the strong peak at the binging energy (EBin) of 0.5 eV and the shoulder peak at EBin=8 eV are assigned to be Fe3d and Si3p orbitals, respectively. Upon the excitation of Fe2p3/2, resonant enhancement of the valence band was observed at EBin=3.7 eV, which is very similar to Fe metal. This fact suggests the existence of the two-hole satellite states from Fe3d orbitals