Bulk- and surface-plasmon-loss intensities in photoelectron, Auger, and electron-energy-loss spectra of Mg metal

Abstract

The intensities of plasmon-loss satellities in x-ray photoelectron (XPS) and electron-energy-loss (EEL) spectra of Mg metal have been determined. The method used has been described earlier in a similar study of aluminum. Intrinsic processes contribute 22% of the total plasmon intensity in the case of XPS core lines. The probability for extrinsic plasmon excitations is $\ensuremath{\alpha}=0.67$, in good agreement with the value $\ensuremath{\alpha}=0.63$ derived from the EEL spectra with primary-electron energies ranging from 300 to 1500 eV. For $\mathrm{KLL}$ and $\mathrm{KLV}$ Auger lines we find the same contributions of intrinsic and extrinsic processes to the plasmon intensities as for the XPS core lines. The line shapes of plasmon-loss lines are different in XPS and EEL spectra, and cannot be described as self-convolutions of the plasmon-energy distribution function.