Characterization of charge transfer excitations in hexacyanomanganate(III) with Mn K-edge resonant inelastic x-ray scattering

We use hard x-ray resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to characterize charge transfer excitations in K(3)Mn(CN)(6). The combination of RIXS measurements and DFT calculations allows us to characterize the strength of the ligand-metal electronic interaction and assign the Raman resonances in the RIXS spectra to charge transfer excitations. With x-ray excitation energies resonant with the T(2g) and E(g) pre-edge peaks derived predominantly from the Mn 3d orbitals, we observe Raman resonances in the energy transfer range from 2 to 12 eV, which results from the filling of the 1s core-hole from T(1u)-symmetry occupied orbitals. DFT calculations indicate that these orbitals exhibit primarily ligand character, supporting the assignment of the energy transfer resonances to ligand-to-metal charge transfer excitations. Our RIXS measurements and DFT calculations also indicate that the E(g)-orbital spin-splits by roughly 0.8 eV, though we do not cleanly resolve the two absorption peaks in the RIXS spectra. We also see evidence for a metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excitation when exciting with a 6545.0 eV incident photon, roughly 4 eV above the E(g) absorption peaks. The 6545.0 eV resonant emission spectrum shows a 6.0 eV energy transfer resonance, which corresponds to a final state hole in the T(2g) partially occupied orbital. DFT calculations indicate that excitation at 6545.0 eV populates an unoccupied T(1u)-symmetry orbital of primarily ligand character. Given the predominantly metal character of the final state hole, we assign the 6.0 eV Raman resonance to a MLCT excitation. These measurements demonstrate the ability of hard x-ray RIXS to characterize the valence electronic structure of coordination compounds.