X-ray absorption and resonant photoemission spectroscopy of ZrB₂

We have performed X-ray absorption and valence band photoemission spectroscopy on ZrB₂, which has the same AlB₂ structure of MgB₂, to study the electronic structure. From X-ray absorption spectra near the B1s-2p threshold, we found a small absorption edge at 188.23 eV with a negligible angular dependence upto 190 eV photon energy. This indicates that B2p partial density of states near the Fermi level (E _F) is three dimensional, in sharp contrast to that of MgB ₂. Resonant photoemission study across the B1s-2p threshold was found to be difficult due to a large contribution of Auger electrons. On the other hand, resonant photoemission across the Zr3p-4d threshold does show small change in intensity within 4 eV of E_F. This indicates that the occupied states near E_F have substantial Zr 4d character. These observations are in relatively good agreement with band structure calculations.