Valence electronic structure of β-FeSi2 single crystal investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation

Valence electronic structure of β - FeSi 2 single crystal has been investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. The plate-type β - FeSi 2 single crystal has been grown by chemical vapor transport method. The surface contamination and oxide layer were removed by Ne+ ion sputtering. The dependence of the valence band spectra on exciting photon energy shows that the strong peak at the binging energy ( E Bin ) of 0.5 eV and the shoulder peak at E Bin = 8 eV are assigned to be Fe 3 d and Si 3 p orbitals, respectively. Upon the excitation of Fe 2 p 3 / 2 , resonant enhancement of the valence band was observed at E Bin = 3.7 eV, which is very similar to Fe metal. This fact suggests the existence of the two-hole satellite states from Fe 3 d orbitals.