Non-resonant elastic and inelastic x-ray scattering study of nitrous oxide

Abstract

The non-resonant elastic and inelastic x-ray scattering technique has been employed to study the molecular structure and the K-shell excitations of N atoms for nitrous oxide (NT-NC-O). The elastic squared form factor and the chemical shift and generalized oscillator strengths for the K-shell excitations of NT/NC: 3π ←1s of nitrous oxide have been determined from the x-ray scattering spectra, which were measured from 20° to 100° at an incident photon energy of about 10 keV and an energy resolution of about 1.3 eV. The obtained chemical shift is consistent with most of the previous data measured by electron scattering and x-ray absorption spectroscopy, while the present elastic squared form factor and generalized oscillator strengths are in good agreement with our calculations and previous results available in the literature. Based on the measured elastic squared form factor and the independent atom model, the bond lengths of NT-NC and NC-O, namely, rNTNC=1.14±0.09 Å and rNCO=1.17±0.09 Å, are derived, and the chemical binding effect is observed. Meanwhile, the effect of different chemical environments on the generalized oscillator strengths of NT: 3π ←1s and NC: 3π ←1s transitions has been demonstrated experimentally. Since the first Born approximation is valid in x-ray scattering, the present elastic squared form factor and generalized oscillator strengths can serve as a benchmark to test the theoretical methods and the ones measured by traditional electron energy loss spectroscopy.