Angle resolved photoemission on NiO: on the nature of the valence band

Angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy has been performed on the valence band of NiO at the National Swedish Laboratory for Synchrotron Radiation. Normal emission spectra have been recorded for photon energies between 17 and 140 eV in order to study the electronic structure of the valence band. The experimentally determined band structure has been compared with a local density augmented plane wave band structure calculation. Signs of the influence of antiferromagnetic ordering are found and the general agreement between experimental and theoretical oxygen derived bands indicates strong hybridization between Ni 3d and O 2p orbitals