On the origin of additional peaks in the photoelectron spectra of yttrium

Ultraviolet Photoemission analysis of yttrium metal reveals well defined features far below the conduction band. In order to elucidate their origin, we have used X-ray/Ultra violet photoelectron spectroscopy together with inverse photoemission. The comparison of the spectra of clean yttrium and of H exposed yttrium suggests that these structures are most probably due to hydrogen bands, hydrogen being either in a stable surface hydride form or as subsurface H.