An interpretation of two X-ray studies of vanadium sesquioxide (V2O3)

Recent studies of V2O3 include experiments performed with X-rays, and exploit atomic resonances of V ions. In one case, the K-edge resonance has been used to enhance Bragg intensities, and in a second experiment the absorption signal has been monitored at L-2 and L-3 edges. Data collected on magnetically ordered V2O3 is successfully interpreted on the basis of an atomic model, and the established chemical and magnetic structures. The extensive diffraction data gathered in azimuthal-angle scans at charge-forbidden reflections is found to infer the V ion wave function, which in turn permits estimates to be made of atomic quantities not measured by diffraction, and including the absorption signal. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.