Theory of the Radiative Auger Effect

Abstract

The probability of simultaneous emission of an x-ray photon and an electron is considered. It is shown that this process can occur as a consequence of the change in the average potential acting on the electrons when the x-ray hole is moving from an inner to an outer shell (shake-off) and as a consequence of interaction between single- and double-hole configurations in the final state. Relative shake-off probabilities of $K\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{L}^{2}$, $K\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{M}^{2}$, and ${L}_{2,3}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{M}_{1}{M}_{2,3}$ transitions are calculated for ${\mathrm{F}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, Ne, ${\mathrm{Na}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{Cl}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, Ar, and ${\mathrm{K}}^{+}$ from Bagus's self-consistent-field wave functions of single-hole x-ray states. The relative probability of $K\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{L}^{2}$ and $K\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{M}^{2}$ transitions is estimated for the rest of the atoms in the range $9<~Z<~22$. The estimated $K\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{L}^{2}$ and $K\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{M}^{2}$ probabilities are of the same order of magnitude as the observed probabilities. However, for low $Z$, they overestimate the observed probabilities, which may be because the shake-off calculations do not account properly for the interaction between single- and double-hole configurations in the final state.