Different Look at the Spin State ofCo3+Ions in aCoO5Pyramidal Coordination

Using soft-x-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Co ${L}_{2,3}$ and O $K$ edges, we demonstrate that the ${\mathrm{Co}}^{3+}$ ions with the ${\mathrm{CoO}}_{5}$ pyramidal coordination in the layered ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{CoO}}_{3}\mathrm{Cl}$ compound are unambiguously in the high spin state. Our result questions the reliability of the spin state assignments made so far for the recently synthesized layered cobalt perovskites and calls for a reexamination of the modeling for the complex and fascinating properties of these new materials.