The X-ray photoemission spectra of La(OH)3

Abstract Experimental X-ray photoelectron spectra of lanthanum at La 3+ 5p, 5s, 4d, 4p, 4s, and 3d and OH − 1σ, 2σ, 3σ, and 1π levels are reported. An arithmetic method derived from a combination of Wendin's quasi-particle model and the Johansson-Martensson model with first-order correction, is developed to explain the physical phenomena observed in this work. The developed working model suggests that the spectral function of a long lifetime quasi-particle coupled with non-lifetime broadening is a Gaussian function, locates the atomic orbital energy, accounts for the atom-to-solid core level shift and corrects the small variation in binding energy caused by the correlation energy. The spectral function also determines the pure solid state energy shift when the correlation energy of the studied atom or ion is known and calculates semi-empirically the dipole relaxation energy shift. Based on this arithmetic method, La 3+ , 4d 1 , and 3d 1 and OH − 1σ 1 , 2σ 1 , 3σ 1 , and 1π 1 holes are normal quasi-particles having a minimal amount of the dipole relaxation energy shift. However, La 3+ 5s 1 , 4p 1 and 4s 1 holes are quasi-particles that are severely distorted by the dipole relaxation energy shift, Σ C D (e C A ). The Σ C D (e C A ) values of La 3+ 5s 1 , 4p 1 , and 4s 1 holes are 3.59(28), 11.58(28), and 11.24(28) eV, respectively.