Evidence for localized excitations in MgO from electron energy-loss spectroscopy

The excited electronic states in the ionic crystal MgO have been studied by electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Structure observed above the thresholds for excitation from the Mg 2p, 2s and 1s core levels shows the final states to be predominantly excitonic levels of the Mg²⁺ ion. Comparison with the known states of the Mg²⁺ free ion indicates that solid-state shifts and splittings are small.