Core level X-ray photoemission study of amorphous Fe xZr 100− x alloys ( x = 90,91)

Abstract

Electronic structures of amorphous Fe x Zr 100− x alloys ( x = 90,91) have been investigated by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) at room temperature. It is found that large energy scale features of the Fe 2p and 3s core level XPS spectra of these alloys are essentially identical to those of Fe metal, suggesting that local electronic structures around Fe atoms in these alloys are similar to those in Fe metal. It is expected that the basic mechanism for the magnetism in a-Fe x Zr 100− x alloys ( x ≈ 90) is same as that in Fe metal. On the other hand, core level shifts and much broader linewidths are observed in the Zr 3d core level XPS spectra of these alloys, as compared to Zr metal. The line shape analysis of the Zr 3d core level XPS spectra reveals that each spin—orbit-split component in a-Fe x Zr 100− x alloys ( x = 90,91) consists of two peaks, causing a broader total linewidth than in Zr metal. Possible origins for such composite structures might be two final states screened by different numbers of localized Zr 4d electrons and the existence of Zr atoms with different local environments.