Searching for influence of the “atomic structure effect” on the KLL and LMM Auger transition energies of Zn ( Z = 30) and Gd ( Z = 64)

Abstract

The absolute energies of the KL 2L 3( 1D 2), KL 3M 2,3( 3P 0,2), and L 3M 4M 5( 1G 4) transitions in Zn 30 67 from the EC decay of Ga 31 67 and from the β − decay of Cu 29 67 and those of the KL 2L 3( 1D 2) and L 3M 4M 5( 1G 4) transitions in Gd generated in the EC decay of 153,155,156Tb fraction and the β − decay of 152,154,155Eu fraction as well were measured with use of the combined electrostatic electron spectrometer. The absolute energies of the KL 2L 3( 1D 2) and L 3M 4M 5( 1G 4) transitions in Gd following the EC decay were found to be higher by 13.9 ± 0.9 and 16.3 ± 0.3 eV, respectively, than those measured for the transitions initiated by the β − decay. Much lower differences of 2.1 ± 0.2, 2.4 ± 0.2 and 1.6 ± 0.2 eV between the EC and the β − decay modes for the above mentioned transitions, respectively, were observed for Zn 30 67 . Due to the uncertainties in the assumed chemical state of the studied isotopes generated by β − decay and EC decay in different sources, contributions from the induced chemical shifts of the electron binding energies to the observed differences can be significant especially in the latter case. Despite this fact the finding corresponds to the results obtained in the X-ray studies of the “atomic structure effect” that the effect is the most pronounced for the 4f and 5f element groups. A comparison of the measured and calculated absolute Auger transition energies indicates that the electron configuration of Gd just after the EC decay can differ from that one supposed in the calculations.