M4,5N4,5N4,5Auger-electron spectrum of free Pd atoms

Abstract

The ${M}_{4,5}{N}_{4,5}{N}_{4,5}$ Auger-electron spectrum of free palladium atoms has been measured by means of a new high-temperature spectrometer using electron-beam excitation. The experimental spectrum has been compared with the theoretical profile calculated in a nonrelativistic mixed-coupling scheme applying $\mathrm{jj}$ coupling to the initial state and intermediate coupling to the final one. The energies have also been compared with the theoretical results obtained from relativistic intermediate-coupling calculations. Apart from the Auger energies, the free-atom $3d$ binding energies ${E}_{B}({3d}_{\frac{5}{2}})=341.13(15)$ eV and ${E}_{B}({3d}_{\frac{3}{2}})=346.45(15)$ eV have also been determined with the aid of optically known two-hole final-state energies. Comparisons with the solid-state photoelectron and Auger-electron measurements give free-atom-metal shifts of 1.3 eV for the 3d binding energies and 11.3 eV for the ${M}_{4,5}{N}_{4,5}{N}_{4,5}(^{1}G_{4})$ Auger energies, also referring the solid-state energies to the vacuum level.