Valence Changes in an Ytterbium-Aluminum Alloy during Autoionization and Auger-Electron Emission

Abstract

A valence change from $f^{13}$ to $f^{14}$ occurs in ytterbium atoms in a mixed-valent ytterbium-aluminum alloy during autoionization and Auger-electron emission. In both of these emission processes the $4f$-shell occupancy increases when the shell becomes more tightly bound under the influence of the core hole. The quenching of the core hole, which terminates the process, occurs after the valence change, so that the $f^{13}$ initial state is not manifest in the spectra.