Soft x-ray emission from Li–Mg and Li–Al alloys and comparisons with KKR-CPA calculations

Abstract

The K emission band of Li and L(23) emission bands of Mg and Al have been measured for Li-Mg and Li-Al prepared in a range of concentrations either by coevaporation or by evaporating thin films of Li on Mg(Al) substrates or Mg(Al) on Li substrates. The Li K spectrum is nearly unchanged at all alloy concentrations in the Li-Mg system but broadens and develops a low energy shoulder for large Al concentrations in the Li-Al system. Both Mg and Al L(23) spectra are narrower and more peaked at low energy in the equilibrium alloys than in the pure metals. The many-body threshold peaks on the Al and Mg L(23) spectra are generally suppressed by alloying with Li, except for low temperature coevaporated Li-Al samples where the peak persists to very Li-rich alloys. Data for a Li(80)Mg(20) alloy are compared with KKR-CPA calculations, and good agreement is found for both the Li K spectrum and the Mg L spectrum.