X-ray photoemission study of core electron relaxation energies and valence band formation on the linear alkanes. II Solid phase measurements

Core and valence electronic levels of normal alkanes have been studied in the solid phase by means of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. By comparing the calibrated C 1s core-level binding energies with previous measurements in the gas phase, one estimates the magnitude of the polarization or the extra-molecular relaxation energy to be about 1.5 eV. The observed structures in the valence band from n-pentane to polyethylene are discussed in terms of the evolution of an electronic level to a band structure in a quasi-one-dimensional solid. Intermolecular interactions and crystal-field effect on solid-state electron energy distribution are studied by comparing gas- and solid-phase spectra. Long-range interatomic interactions in a tridimensional solid are analyzed through the comparison of the valence-band structures in polyethylene, graphite, and diamond.