X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of rare-earth compounds

A variety of rare-earth (RE) compounds (oxides, sulfates and oxalates) have been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Except for Eu, the binding energies (BE's) of the RE 3d and 4d peaks for the sulfates and oxalates are respectively almost equal to and 1.3–3.1 eV higher than those for the oxides. In the Eu 3d spectrum of europium(II) oxalate, distinct shake-down satellite peaks are present, and the BE's of these peaks are 1̃0 eV lower than the parent ones. For the oxides, appreciable differences are found in the BE's of the O 1s peaks, and a specific “inclined W” form is observed in plots of BE versus 1/R (where R is the mean distance from the oxygen atom to the neighboring RE atom) and versus the RE oxidation-reduction potential (ORP). No characteristic differences are seen in the BE's (C 1s, S 2s and S 2p) of the other ligands.