Quasiatomic Excitation in Bulk Nickel

Abstract
Ultraviolet photoemission spectra of nickel atoms vapor deposited on an amorphous carbon substrate show a characteristic energy-loss peak 6 eV below Ef for the full range of coverages from adsorbed nickel adatoms to bulk nickel. The quasiatomic excitation responsible for this energy-loss peak is the promotion of a nickel valence-shell electron to a 4p level in the ionic final state.