  The unoccupied electronic structure for the Sr_14Cu_24O_41 family of two-leg
ladder compounds was investigated for different partial substitutions of Sr^2+
by Ca^2+, leaving the nominal hole count constant, and by Y^3+ or La^3+,
reducing the nominal hole count from its full value of 6 per formula unit.
Using polarization-dependent x-ray absorption spectroscopy on single crystals,
hole states on both the chain and ladder sites could be studied. While for
intermediate hole counts all holes reside on O sites of the chains, a partial
hole occupation on the ladder sites in orbitals oriented along the legs is
observed for the fully doped compound Sr_14Cu_24O_41. On substitution of Ca for
Sr orbitals within the ladder planes but perpendicular to the legs receive some
hole occupation as well.
