Independent electron calculation of L3M4,5M4,5 and M2,3M4,5M4,5 Auger line shapes for Cu metal

Abstract

We have calculated the $L_3\mathrm{VV}$ and $M_{2,3}\mathrm{VV}$ Auger line shapes of Cu metal, within an independent-electron tight-binding model. The calculated line shapes do not show the sharp features which are seen experimentally, a result which lends further credence to the validity of the "quasiatomic" picture of these Auger lines. We describe two possible mechanisms which might underlie the presence of the "quasiatomic" spectral features.