Quantitative electron energy loss spectroscopy on M₄₅ edges in rare earth oxides

The present paper deals with a systematic experimental study and theoretical evaluation of the shape and weight for the characteristic M₄₅ rare earth edge and K oxygen edge in the family of rare earth oxides. An innovative method is used for processing the recorded spectra; it consists of modelling the experimental data as a sum of predicted contributions. The results obtained for the k factors, cross-sections and oscillator strengths are generally in good agreement with the atomic calculations in the Hartree-Slater model which considers only transitions towards final states in the continuum. The position and relative weight of the white-lines on the M₄₅ edges corresponding to transitions towards final bound states of f symmetry are also measured and compared either with measurements from other techniques e.g. X-ray absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) or with calculations of the multiplet terms.