Materials World Network on Rare-Earth and Transition Metal Nitride Spectroscopic Studies Walter R. Lambrecht, Case West

1. Materials World Network on Rare-Earth and Transition Metal Nitride Spectroscopic Studies Walter R. Lambrecht, Case Western Reserve University, DMR 0710485 Rare-earth nitrides such as Gadolinium Nitride (GdN) present a challenge to electronic structure theory because of the strongly correlated f-electrons. In this project, we combine various X-ray spectroscopies with theory to extract information on the electronic band structure. In Resonant X-ray emission spectroscopy (RXES) the final state created by excitation of an electron from a core-hole to a conduction band state and subsequent emission of X-rays by a valence electron falling back into the core hole is in resonance with the direct valence band to conduction band excitation at a specific wave vector. Simulation of this process were developed and compare well with experimental data, thus providing a stringent test of our calculated band structures. GdN

2. Materials World Network on Rare-Earth and Transition Metal Nitride Spectroscopic Studies Walter R. Lambrecht, Case Western Reserve University, DMR 0710485 • Andrew Preston, a graduate student from the New Zealand collaborating institution joined the Boston University spectroscopy group of Kevin Smith as postdoctoral research associate. • Chandrima Mitra obtained her Ph.D. with support from this grant and moved on to the Max-Planck Institute for Iron Research in Germany • Co-PI’s Walter Lambrecht and Kevin Smith met with the New Zealand collaborators at the AMN4 conference in Dunedin, New Zealand to discuss progress of the project. • The group proposed a Symposium on TM and RE nitrides at the 2010 MRS Fall meeting • Lambrecht’s research was highlighted in the CWRU publication “The Value of Research” 2008-2009.