Post-collision interaction in Auger-electron emission of rare-gas atoms following electron-impact ionization.

Abstract

A study of post-collision interaction has been carried out experimentally for Auger-electron emission of rare-gas atoms following electron-impact ionization. Spectra of the Xe ${\mathit{N}}_{5}$${\mathit{O}}_{23}$${\mathit{O}}_{23}$ ${(}^{1}$${\mathit{S}}_{0}$), Kr ${\mathit{M}}_{5}$${\mathit{N}}_{1}$${\mathit{N}}_{23}$ ${(}^{1}$${\mathit{P}}_{1}$), and Ar ${\mathit{L}}_{3}$${\mathit{M}}_{23}$${\mathit{M}}_{23}$ ${(}^{1}$${\mathit{S}}_{0}$) Auger electrons have been measured changing the electron-impact energy from slightly above the threshold of the ionization to a few kilo-electron-volts. The Auger line shape has been analyzed using a profile formula that includes the finiteness of the velocities of all the cooperating electrons. Moreover, the analysis has partly considered the possible energy distribution of the scattered primary electron and the ejected secondary electron, due to the sharing of excess energy between them. The post-collision interaction effect is found to be absent at high excess energies.