Single and multiple Auger decay processes from the Ne+1s−12p−1np shake-up states studied with a multielectron coincidence method

Abstract

The single, double, and triple Auger decay processes from the $1{s}^{\ensuremath{-}1}2{p}^{\ensuremath{-}1}np$ shake-up states of Ne have been studied with a multielectron coincidence method. It is revealed that the Rydberg electron promoted in the initial photoionization step generally acts as a spectator both in the single and double Auger decays. The single Auger decay predominantly produces three-hole one-particle final states while leaving the Rydberg electron virtually unchanged. In the cascade double Auger paths, the Rydberg electron is a spectator in the first step of the cascade process but is subsequently released in the second step, leading to the formation of three-hole final states. The direct paths of double Auger decays, which are much weaker than the cascade paths, produce preferably four-hole one-particle states due to the spectator behavior of the Rydberg electron. The distributions of the $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{e}}^{4+}$ states populated by the triple Auger decays are also presented.