Auger decay/electrons yield

These features of lines of various spectra (X-ray, emission, photoelectron, Auger) are determined by the same reason, therefore they are discussed together. Let us briefly consider various factors of line broadening, as well as the dependence of natural line width and fluorescence yield, characterizing the relative role of radiative and Auger decay of a state with vacancy, on nuclear charge, and on one- and many-electron quantum numbers. 

These studies later were extended to molecules containing only elements from the first series of the periodic table (Carlson and Krause 1972). For these molecules, with only two electronic shells, an Auger cascade cannot occur. Each K shell vacancy produced by x-ray ionization of a Is electron produces a single Auger event with the total loss of two valence electrons. Additional electrons can be lost in shake-off ionization and double Auger decay, which were estimated to contribute about 20% to the the observed ion yields. 

Hitherto the discussion of Fig. 5.2 has neglected the possibility of non-radiative decay following 4d shell excitation/ionization. These processes are explained with the help of Fig. 5.2(h) which also reproduces the photoelectron emission discussed above, because both photo- and autoionization/Auger electrons will finally yield the observed pattern of electron emission. (In this context it should be noted that in general such direct photoionization and non-radiative decay processes will interfere (see below).) As can be inferred from Fig. 5.2(h), two distinct features arise from non-radiative decay of 4d excitation/ionization. First, 4d -> n/ resonance excitation, indicated on the photon energy scale on the left-hand side, populates certain outer-shell satellites, the so-called resonance Auger transitions (see below), via autoionization decay. An example of special interest in the present context is given by... 

Given a method of preparing Mo organometallic compounds, the p decay transformation of Mo to Tc could be studied. The decay of Mo to Tc yields a nuclide with much lower recoil energy than that formed in the molybdenum (n, y ) process. However, this decay produces a cascade of Auger electrons see Auger Spectroscopy) which can cause bond disruption. These studies are difficult, because the technetium-99m product is produced at radiochemical tracer levels. Macroscopic quantities of products are not available for spectroscopic characterization. 

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