A study of conduction band edge states in complex oxides by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Conduction band edge d-states are compared for complex oxides: (i) mixed tetravalent–trivalent ZrO2–Y2O3 alloys, (ii) tetravalent Zr(Hf)O2–TiO2 alloys, and (iii) trivalent La scandate and aluminate. Low Y2O3 content cubic ZrO2–Y2O3 alloys display two crystal-field split 4d-features in O K1 spectra. Alloys with higher Y2O3 content, as well as Zr(Hf)O2–TiO2 alloys display increased d-state multiplicity. O K1 spectra of perovskite-structured LaScO3 and LaAlO3 indicate Jahn–Teller d-state term-splittings with contributions from both trivalent atomic species.