Influence of hybridization in the Magnetic Circular X-ray Dichroism at the Ce-M4,5 absorption edges of Ce-Fe systems

Abstract

We have performed a Magnetic Circular X-ray Dichroism (XMCD) study at the Ce-M*,s absorption edges on some Ce-Fe systems. We find that the dichroism signal in these systems is very sensitive to the degree of hybridization of the 4f electrons with the valence band. XMCD is able to demonstrate that the ground state of Ce in the more strongly hybridized systems results in a mixing of atomic J=5/2 and J=7/2 states.