Spectroscopy of strongly correlated systems: Resonant x-ray scattering without energy resolution in the scattered beam

The total emission of photons excited by x rays (90 degrees between incident and detected photons) is measured vs the incident photon energy at the Ce M-4,M-5 edges in CeIn3, CeSnIn2, CeAl2, CePd3, and CeRh2, and at the Ni L-2,L-3 edges in NiO. The results show the signature of a second-order process; these experiments must be interpreted as genuine resonant inelastic scattering (though without energy resolution of the emitted photons) and not as absorption spectroscopy measured by the total fluorescence yield. In Ce compounds, information on bulk hybridization can thus be obtained simply and with high sensitivity. The branching ratio between the different scattering channels is also measured. This approach opens innovative perspectives in resonant inelastic x-ray scattering.