XPS analysis of Gd₅Ge₂Si₂and its Co-subsituted alloy

The investigation reported is the study of electronic structure of the intermetallic compound Gd₅Ge₂Si₂and its Co-substitution i.e. Gd₅Ge_1.9Si₂Co_0.1with the help of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The investigations reveal the crystallization of the compounds to be in a single phase with Orthorhombic structure. The XPS spectra disclose the signature peaks of the various orbitals of the constituent elements of the compounds. Though a subtle shift in the binding energy values is observed. The deconvoluted XPS spectra provides the interaction of the core of the compounds with different neighbours. Deconvolution shows that for Gd(3d) spectra the strongest bonding is for Gd-Ge bond with a binding energy value of ∼ 1190 eV for both the compounds. Also, for Si(2p) spectra this value is close to 102 eV for Si-Ge bond.