XPS and BIS studies of CePd2Al3

Abstract Electronic structures of CePd 2 Al 3 , PrPd 2 Al 3 and SmPd 2 Al 3 are studied by X-ray photoemission (XPS) and inverse photoemission (BIS) spectroscopy. The rare earth atom 3d XPS spectra have shown a prominent spin-orbit doublet (3d 9 4f n ) with a shoulder in the smaller binding energy ( E B ) region which is ascribable to the 3d 9 4f n+1 state. Hybridization between the 4f and conduction electron states is, however, very small. The 5d band crosses the Fermi level ( E F ).