Electronic structure of YbCuGe studied by soft X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

Yasui, Akira; Fujimori, Shinichi   ; Kawasaki, Ikuto  ; Okane, Tetsuo  ; Takeda, Yukiharu   ; Saito, Yuji  ; Yamagami, Hiroshi; Sekiyama, Akira*; Settai, Rikio*; Matsuda, Tatsuma; Haga, Yoshinori   ; Onuki, Yoshichika*

We have measured three-dimensional band structure and Fermi surfaces (FSs) of YbCuGe, which has recently become recognized as a nearly divalent Yb-based compound, by using soft X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We clarified that the bands with finite Yb 4 contribution cross the Fermi level and are slightly involved in the formation of the FSs, in line with the valence-fluctuating state of YbCuGe. The obtained valence-band dispersions and the FSs are well explained by a relativistic band-structure calculation based on a local-density-approximation (LDA). These results suggest that the LDA calculation is a good starting point for understanding of the electronic state of YbCuGe as well as nearly divalent Yb-based compounds.