Volmer, Martin2006-08-292006-08-292006-08-29http://hdl.handle.net/2003/2286110.17877/DE290R-16015Silicon clathrates are cage-like structures with silicon atoms building up a covalently bond host lattice. Depending on the type of trapped guest atoms the physical properties of the clathrate materials are variing in a broad range. They include extreme hardness, superconductivity and promising applications as optoelectronic or thermoelectric materials. As the guest-host interaction in clathrate materials is playing a major role for understanding the complex structures this thesis is presenting a combined experimental and theoretical analysis of the electronic structure of alkali-metal doped silicon clathrates. Focussing on the Compton scattering technique, the experimental results are compared with density functional theory calculations and are discussed in terms of charge transfer.enCompton scatteringClathratesElectronic structurex-raySynchrotron radiation530doctoral thesisurn:nbn:de:hbz:290-2003/22861-2