Dichroic O 1s photoabsorption and resonant X-ray scattering in haematite (Fe2O3)

X-ray photoabsorption and resonant X-ray emission at the oxygen K edge of haematite (Fe2O3) single crystals have been measured with linearly polarized light. The X-ray absorption is strongly dichroic, in agreement with previous results from thin films: there are substantial differences between spectra with the electric vector of the incident light parallel and perpendicular to the c axis. This is explained in terms of published electronic structure calculations. The X-ray emission under resonant Raman conditions however is only weakly dichroic, and this is ascribed to delocalization of the excited electron in the conduction band. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.