Dispersion of 5 f electron states: Angle-resolved photoemission on ordered films of U metal

Ordered overlayers of U metal characterized by a hexagonal low-energy electron diffraction pattern were grown in situ by deposition of U metal onto a W(110) substrate and subsequent annealing. Angle-resolved photoemission reveals clearly dispersion of U $5f$-derived states. The experimental data are in excellent agreement with results of relativistic local density approximation band-structure calculations. The bandlike properties of the U $5f$ states stem from direct f-f interaction rather than from f-d hybridization as might be expected for $4f$-derived bands in Ce systems.