Intraionic spin-orbit-split multiplet levels have been observed by electronic Raman scattering in the intermediate-valence compound Eu${\mathrm{Pd}}_2$${\mathrm{Si}}_2$. From the temperature dependence of the Raman peak positions and widths the interconfigurational excitation energy $E_x$ and an upper limit of the interconfigurational mixing width $T_f$, respectively, have been obtained. This is the first spectroscopic support for the underlying assumptions of the ionic interconfigurational fluctuation model that has been proposed to describe intermediate valence.

• Received 20 September 1984

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.54.213