An ab initio study of 3s core-level x-ray photoemission spectra in transition metals

We calculate the $3s$- and $4s$-core-level x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) spectra in the ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic transition metals by developing an \emph{ab initio} method. We obtain the spectra exhibiting the characteristic shapes as a function of binding energy in good agreement with experimental observations. The spectral shapes are strikingly different between the majority spin channel and the minority spin channel for ferromagnetic metals Ni, Co, and Fe, that is, large intensities appear in the higher binding energy side of the main peak (satellite) in the majority spin channel. Such satellite or shoulder intensities are also obtained for nonmagnetic metals V and Ru. These behaviors are elucidated in terms of the change of the one-electron states induced by the core-hole potential.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Theory of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering at the K edge in La2_2CuO4_4 - Multiple scattering effects -

We develop a theory of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the $K$ edge in La$_2$CuO$_4$ on the basis of the Keldysh Green's function formalism. In our previous analysis (Phys. Rev. B 71, 035110 (2005)), the scattering by the core-hole potential was treated within the Born approximation, and a crude-model density of states was used for the $4p$ band. We improve the analysis by taking account of the multiple scattering in Cu3d-O$2p$ bands and by using a realistic $4p$ DOS obtained from a band calculation. The multiple scattering effect is evaluated with the use of the time representation developed by Nozi\`eres and De Dominicis. It is found that the multiple scattering effect makes the $K$-edge peak in the absorption coefficient shift to the lower energy region as a function of photon energy, that is, the photon energy required to excite the $1s$ electron to the $K$-edge peak reduces. It is also found that the multiple-scattering effect does not change the two-peak structure in the RIXS spectra but modifies slightly the shape as a function of energy loss. These findings suggests that the multiple scattering effect could mainly be included into a renormalization of the core-level energy and partly justify the Born approximation, leading to a future application to the RIXS in three-dimensional systems.Comment: revised version with extended discussion, 24 pages, 12 figures, accepted for PR

4p states and X-Ray Spectroscopy

The 4p states in transition metals and their compounds usually play minor roles on their physical quantities. Recent development of resonant x-ray scattering (RXS) at the K-edge of transition metals, however, casts light on the 4p states, because the signals on orbital and magnetic superlattice spots are brought about by the modulation in the 4p states. The 4p states are extending in solids and thereby sensitive to electronic states at neighboring sites. This characteristic determines the mechanism of RXS that the intensity on the orbital superlattice spots are mainly generated by the lattice distortion and those on magnetic superlattice spots by the coupling of the 4p states with the orbital polarization in the 3d states at neighboring sites. Taking up typical examples for orbital and magnetic RXS, we demonstrate these mechanisms on the basis of the band structure calculation. Finally, we study the MCD spectra at the K-edge, demonstrating that the same mechanism as the magnetic RXS is working.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Physica Scripta (comment