X-ray versus Auger emission following Xe 1s photoionization

Xe 1s photoelectron spectra were measured at SPring-8, Japan. The core-hole lifetime broadening was found to be 9.6 eV, yielding a lifetime of similar to 68 as. The amount of radiative versus nonradiative decay was assessed by recording Auger LMM spectra below and above the K edge. Below the K edge, L vacancies are produced only by direct photoionization, while above the K edge some of these vacancies are mainly produced by KL emission following 1s photoionization. Due to the dipole selection rule for x-ray emission, the dominant role of the KL relaxation process is rather directly observed.