The electronic structure of intermetallic borocarbide and related superconductors from high energy spectroscopy

Abstract

Photoemission has been applied to study the electronic structure of YNi₂B₂C and related materials, with comparison of the results with the density of states generated from band structure calculations. The absence in photoemission of the predicted peak in the density of states at the Fermi level in undoped YNi₂B₂C, and the inconsistency of the photoemission data with a rigid-band model for the effects of Co doping on the electronic structure of YNi_2−xCo_xB₂C are discussed. In addition, recent photoemission data from the new superconductor La₃Ni₂B₂N₃ are presented.