High-energy Auger line shapes of Pd and Rh: Experiment and theory

Abstract

We compare nonrelativistic atomic multiplet calculations of the L(1,2,3)M(4,5)M(4,5) spectra of Rh and Pd in the ii intermediate-coupling scheme with high-resolution experimental spectra excited with a Ti anode, indicating general, good agreement even for these open valence shell metals: the simplicity of the calculations indicates their suitability for experimental analyses. Comparison with relativistic calculations, including configuration interaction, for Rh indicates that the nonrelativistic spectra appear to agree better with the experimental data than do the relativistic ones. The influence of relativistic and correlation effects on the intensities does not seem to be important. The major influence on the forms of the spectra is that of the relative positions of the multiplet components. Satellites of all three spectra would seem to be produced by shake-up, rather than Coster-Kronig processes. The positions and forms of these satellites are consistent with a model in which spectator vacancies in the 4d band exist in both the initial and final states of the Auger transition. [S0163-1829(98)02548-X].