The first detailed experimental investigation of the KMM + KMN Auger electron spectrum of Cu emitted in the EC decay of radioactive 65Zn in a solid state matrix

Abstract

The KMM + KMN Auger spectrum of Cu emitted in the electron capture decay of radioactive 65Zn in a solid state matrix was investigated for the first time at the instrumental energy resolution of 14 eV. Energies and relative intensities of twelve resolved spectrum components were determined and compared with theoretical predictions. A reasonable agreement of the semi-empirical calculations of transition energies by Larkins with experiment was observed. A comparison of theoretical and the measured transition rates indicates the important role of a coupling scheme applied. A more detailed analysis was hampered by absence of theoretical intensities for the individual intermediate coupling spectrum components. A slight indication of the influence of the source backing material on the absolute energies was found for the L3M4, 5M4, 5 and L2M4, 5M4, 5 Auger lines.