We have applied the tool of resonant photoemission at the $L_3$ absorption edge to thin Mn layers deposited on Cu(100). This allows us to study the transition from atomic to solid-state phase by following the $3d$-band formation through the localization of a photon-excited electron in the presence of a $2p$ core hole. We have observed localized behavior for one of the transitions of the Mn $2p3p3d$ decay above the $L_3$ absorption threshold for coverages smaller than 0.5 ML. We show that the autoionization time of the $2p$-core-hole intermediate state is comparable to the time of localization of the photon-excited $3d$ electron in the presence of the $2p$ core hole in the case of the highest binding-energy transition of the $2p3p3d$ decay.

• Received 12 February 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.63.205416