Auger and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of the density of oxygen states in bismuth, aluminium, silicon and uranium oxides

The correlation of relative partial electron density at the oxygen ions with the intensity of Auger O KLL lines in Bi2O3, Al2O3, SiO2 and UO2 has been determined by Auger and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic methods. The dependence of the relative intensities of Auger O KL2-3L2-3 and O KL1L2-3-lines was characterized from the binding energy of O 1s electrons. The electron density of the outer valence levels of oxygen increases as the relative intensities of Anger O KL2-3L2-3 and O KL1L2-3-lines increase. The fine structure observed in the O KL1L2-3 Auger and the O 2s XPS spectra has been explained by the formation of inner valence molecular orbitals (IVMO) from the interaction of electrons of the O 2s and filled metal ns shells. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.