The high temperature superconductor YBa2Cu30 7 is characterized by a very anisotropic struc ture. The electronic structure of this compound is studied using high resolution valence band spectroscopy within an electron probe microanalyzer. From single crystals and melt-textured spec imens, orientation dependent Cu-La spectra are obtained using a beryl crystal. The Cu-La spectra with polarization parallel to the z-direction show a larger energetic breadth compared to those obtained with polarization perpendicular to z. This is caused by occupied Cu3d3z2_r2 like states, as could be shown by other workers using cluster calculations.With a chlinochlore crystal, the polarized O-K, spectra can be used to investigate the orientation of single crystal areas. The spectra map the bandlike 02p states. In contrast to the Cu-La spectra, the partial 0 -K a spectra agree with band structure calculations in the local density approximation done by other workers.
IntroductionFor the microscopic comprehension of material properties, knowledge of the electronic structure is essential. X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) exam ines the occupied electronic states. With 0 -K a and C u-La spectra the 02p and Cu3d valence band state of copper-oxide superconductors can be probed sepa rately.Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) [1, 2] focuses an electron beam on very small regions and, according to the large information depth of X-rays, probes the bulk properties.The specimen spots from which the spectra are recorded, can be investigated directly concerning their oxygen content and stoichiometry.By studying the orientation dependence of the emis sion bands from untwinned regions of single crystal or textured materials, additional information is obtained concerning the symmetry of Op2 or Cu3d states, which are determined by the magnetic quantum num ber m.Thus, in the case of the 0 -K a-emission line, the Opx-, Opy-, and Op.,-state can be measured. With the C u-La-emission line the single d-orbitals contribute according to their weight to the intensity components Ix, Iy or Iz, which leads to a rather complicated corre lation with the density of states.Reprint requests to S. Steeb.Presently the calculation of band structures has reached a high accuracy and it is possible to calculate partial densities of states. The comparison of such calculated results with the experimental data yields hints on how far the corresponding model describes the real facts and which states contribute to the differ ent structural features of the observed spectra.
Theoretical Fundamentals
X-ray Emission and Density of StatesIn the electron microprobe the specimen is excited by electron impact, causing the formation of vacancies in core levels which are filled up by electronic transi tions from the valence band following the electric dipole selection rules. This may lead to the emission of X-rays with the quantum energy h v. The total inten sity of this radiation is given in the one electron-and dipole-approximation [3,4] by