Characteristic electron energy loss structure for clean and oxidized chromium surfaces

AES and EELS spectra have been measured on clean and oxidized chromium surfaces. Auger peaks at 31.0 and 44.0 eV of the oxide are attributed to cross transitions between chromium and oxygen: {M_2,3(Cr)V(Cr)V(O)} and {M₁(Cr)L₁(O)V(Cr)} respectively. Core loss features are consistent with valence band structure with a newly observed loss peak at 41.1 eV for the oxidized surface being ascribed to a core exciton with binding energy E_b = 1.6 eV.