M Spectra of the Rare Earth Elements Measured with an Ultra-Thin Window Si(Li) Detector

The oxides of the rare earth elements 57Z71 were excited by electrons with an energy between 3 and 15keV. X-rays were detected by an energy dispersive Si(Li) spectrometer, with an ultra-thin polymer entrance window. Due to the limited resolution of this type of spectrometer, the M spectra of the rare earths appear to consist of only four peaks: M, M,, M, and M₂N₄. The net height of these peaks relative to that of M, was used as a measure of the relative intensity. For 3keV electrons, a continuous decrease of the relative intensity of M with increasing Z was observed, ranging from approximately 90% for 57 La to less than 10% for 71 Lu. This behaviour is in agreement with a model involving a gradual filling up of the levels N6 and N7 with increasing Z. The relative intensity of M is lower than that of M by about a factor of 5, whereas M₂N₄ is approximately half as intense as M.