Absolute cross sections for Rayleigh and electronic Raman scattering of trivalent rare-earth ions have been calculated. A comparison with the experimental cross section for benzene reveals that both the Rayleigh and Raman scattering for the lanthanides is weaker by more than two orders of magnitude. The Rayleigh-to-Raman ratio is shown to be a rapidly fluctuating function of the electronic structure of the lanthanide ions.

• Received 6 November 1967

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.168.75