Resonant photoemission from SmS(100)

A strong, sharp resonance enhancement of 4f photoemission has been observed on SmS(100) surfaces for photon energies in the region of the 4d-4f transitions at about 126 eV. The discrete final state reached via the excitation hν+4d¹⁰4f⁶→4d⁹4f⁷ autoionizes primarely via a super Coster-Kronig transition of the type 4d⁹4f⁷→4d¹⁰4f⁵ + unbound electron. Other decay channels, e.g, Sm 5p emission, as well as a surface induced binding energy shift in the Sm³⁺ final state are identified and discussed.