X-ray Emission Spectroscopy of Cerium Across the γ-α Volume Collapse Transition

High-pressure x-ray emission measurements are used to provide crucial evidence in the longstanding debate over the nature of the isostructural (alpha, gamma) volume collapse in elemental cerium. Extended local atomic model calculations show that the satellite of the L gamma emission line offers direct access to the total angular momentum observable < J(2)>. This satellite experiences a 30% steplike decrease across the volume collapse, validating the Kondo model in conjunction with previous measurements. Direct comparisons are made with previous predictions by dynamical mean field theory. A general experimental methodology is demonstrated for analogous work on a wide range of strongly correlated f-electron systems.