Effect of coster–kronig transitions on L ₃ sub‐shell x‐ray fluorescence cross‐sections

Abstract

Abstract Coster–Kronig processes are radiationless transitions in which an inner‐shell vacancy is transferred from one subshell of an atom to another that is less tightly bound, both belonging to the same principal shell. Experimental measurements were carried out on a few elemental samples to examine the effect of Coster–Kronig transitions on fluorescence cross‐sections for the Lα x‐ray line using 22.6 keV Ag K x‐rays for excitation. Absolute values of Lα cross‐sections were also calculated with incorporation of the enhancement due to the Coster–Kronig effect for the elements in the range 41 ≤ Z ≤ 92 at the same excitation energy. A windowless Si(Li) detector system with an energy resolution of 145 eV at 6.4 keV x‐ray energy was used. Thin‐film samples were employed to minimize the self‐absorption effect. Reasonably good agreement was observed between the expected and measured values.