Auger satellites of theL2,3Auger emission bands of Al, Si, and P

Abstract

In this study a detailed investigation of the high-energy satellites of the $L_{2,3}$ Auger emission bands of Al, Si, and P was made. The satellites are interpreted as arising from double ionization of the $L_{2,3}$ shell rather than from a plasmon gain process. The parent-to-satellite energy separations $\Delta E$ between like structures were determined and were found to be consistently smaller than the volume-plasmon energies measured for the same samples. A comparison of Si and SiO revealed no evidence that $\Delta E$ for Si is dependent on the volume-plasmon energy of the sample. The satellite threshold excitation energies $E_t$ were determined and were found to compare well with results expected for double ionization of the $L_{2,3}$ level. In the energy range $E_t<E_p\le 2$ KeV the ratio of the satellite-to-parent Auger intensities for all three samples was in good agreement when plotted vs the reduced energy scale, $\frac{E_p}{E_t}$. The results were also found to be consistent with Gryzinski's binary-encounter model. If satellites in the Auger spectrum arise from double ionization of an inner-core level, then a corresponding ionization-loss peak should be present in the characteristic loss spectrum associated with the elastic peak. An ionization-loss peak was found for Si at a loss energy of 216 eV and is tentatively identified as a loss peak associated with double ionization of the $L_{2,3}$ shell.