Resonant inelastic soft x-ray scattering, x-ray absorption spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations of the electronic bulk band structure of CdS

Abstract

The electronic bulk band structure of CdS was studied by resonant inelastic soft x-ray scattering and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. The measurements at the S $L$-edge are compared with theoretical spectra calculated with the Kramers-Heisenberg formalism and density functional theory. The experimental spectra reveal differences in the hole lifetimes of the different involved valence states, which can be correlated to different Auger decay probabilities. We find that the spectra are dominated by incoherent emission. However, a detailed comparison between measured and calculated spectra gives band structure information and, in particular, reveals the position of the valence band maximum within the emission spectra. Furthermore, the dephasing time in the intermediate state can be estimated.