Oxygen K-shell excitation spectroscopy of hydrogen peroxide

The absolute oscillator strength spectrum for oxygen K-shell excitation of hydrogen peroxide has been derived from electron energy loss spectra recorded under electric dipole scattering conditions. The spectrum is dominated by an intense low-lying excitation to the {O 1s−1, σ* (OO)} state at 533.0 eV. The spectrum is compared to the O 1 s spectra of bis (trifluoromethyl) peroxide and bis(t-butyl)peroxide. The spectra of all three peroxides exhibit a strong transition around 533 eV which involves O 1s promotions to an orbital of largely σ* (OO) character. The bond length-σ* resonance energy correlation and its relation to near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) determinations of the geometry of O2 adsorbed on various metal surfaces is explored.