Auger cascade satellites following 3d ionization in xenon

The electron spectra of xenon have been measured at the kinetic energy region of 8–40 eV using synchrotron radiation excitation below and above the 3d ionization threshold. The hole in the 3d orbital leads to the cascade of Auger transitions, the final steps of which give rise to pronounced satellite structures at the low kinetic energy region. In order to estimate the satellite production, the average kinetic energies and transition probabilities of Auger transitions after 3d ionization have been calculated using the method of global characteristics. Furthermore, the fine structure of the most intense satellite Auger transitions has been calculated using the pseudorelativistic Hartree–Fock method, and the results have been used to assign the main satellite peaks. In addition, the production of multi-charged Xe ions has been investigated and the role of electron–electron interaction in explaining the remaining differences between experiment and theory has also been discussed.