Auger resonant-Raman decay after Xe L-edge photoexcitation

We have investigated resonant Auger decay of xenon following photoexcitation of each of the three L edges under resonant-Raman conditions, which allowed us to characterize several higher Rydberg transitions. Relative intensities for spectator final states reached after L-1-, L-2-, and L-3-edge excitations are studied in detail. Thanks to state-of-the-art experimental arrangements, our results not only reproduce the previously calculated 3d(-2)5d and nd (n > 5) state cross sections after L-3 excitation, but also allow extracting the 3d(-2)6d spectator state energy position and revealing its resonant behavior, blurred by the insufficient experimental resolution in previous data sets. The 3d(-2)6p and 3d(-2)7p states reached after L-1 excitation as well as the 3d(-2)5d and 3d(-2)6d states reached after L-2 excitation are also investigated and their relative intensities are reported and compared to ab initio Dirac-Hartree-Fock configuration-interaction calculations. We found the signature of electronic-state-lifetime interference effects between several coherently excited intermediate states, due to large lifetime broadening. Electron recapture processes are also identified above all three photoionization thresholds.