Quasi-particle excitations and phonon broadening effects in the O ls spectra of Ln(OH)3 (Ln = La,Nd, Sm and Gd)

The O ls photoelectron spectra of Ln(OH)₃ (Ln = La, Nd, Sm and Gd) can be approximated by the convolution of a core hole spectral density function and a response function which is related to the phonon broadening and instrumental broadening effects. A non-linear least-squares analysis on the convolution integral indicates that the lifetime of the O ls (in the energy domain) is strongly broadened by the phonon excitations. The FWHM (full width at half maximum) of the phonon excitations range from 1.3 to 2.6 eV.