Local and Electronic Structure of Siloxene

Silicon L_2,3 x-ray emission spectra (XES) of siloxene powder samples prepared according to Wöohler and Kautsky (Wöhler and Kautsky siloxene) are presented. The results are compared with the Si L_2,3 spectra of the reference compounds a-Si, c-Si, SiO₂, and SiO_x. A close similarity of the electronic structure of Wöhler siloxene to that of a-SiO_0.43: H and of Kautsky siloxene to that of a-SiO_0.87: H is found. We determine the number of oxygen atoms per Si atom at ~0.5 in Wöhler siloxene and ~0.8 in Kautsky siloxene. The relative concentrations are in good agreement with the results of infrared absorption measurements on the same samples.