Binding Energies in Electron Shells of Rare-Earth Atoms

Abstract

Experimental data on the orbital binding energies in each of electron subshells of rare-earth elements from lanthanum to lutetium including the first ionization potentials have been analyzed in detail using a semiclassical method to separate the dependences of binding energies on the atomic number and quantum numbers. The spread of experimental data for the N and O shells of lanthanides has been discussed. The analysis has confirmed the law of similarity of orbital binding energies in the atomic number in individual subshells that differs from Moseley’s law. Deviation from the common dependence usually indicates the inaccuracy of the corresponding measurement. The simplest interpolation of the found relations makes it possible to approximate experimental data with an accuracy of about 1%, to reconstruct missed data, and to correct inaccurate measurement results. The analysis of theoretical results also reveals such relations and their violation is attributed to the violation of the order of filling of 4f states.