Photoemission investigation of the electronic structure of lanthanum–calcium oxoborate

Lanthanum calcium oxoborate is a nonlinear optical material that belongs to the calcium-rare-earth (R) oxoborate family, with general composition of Ca4RO(BO3)3 (R3+=La,Sm,Gd,Lu,Y). X-ray photoemission was used to study the valence band electronic structure and surface chemistry of this material. High resolution photoemission measurements of the valence band electronic structure and La 3d and 4d, Ca 2p, B 1s, and O 1s core lines were used to evaluate the surface and near surface chemistry. The results provide measurements of the valence band electronic structure and surface chemistry of this rare-earth oxoborate.