POSTCOLLISION INTERACTIONS IN THE AUGER DECAY OF THE AR L SHELL

The photoionization cross sections for Ar+ through Ar4+, produced by t he Auger decay of a 2p hole in argon, have been measured between 242 e V and 253 eV by the use of synchrotron radiation. The high resolution of the monochromator has allowed a detailed study of the postcollision interactions that occur in this spectral region. The concept of photo electron recapture by Ar2+ to produce the Ar+ continuum is studied. Th e relative values of the quantum-mechanical calculations of the photoe lectron recapture probability are shown to be in excellent agreement w ith the present data. The magnitude and shape of the Ar2+ continuum ha s been explained on the basis that about 67% of the recaptured photoel ectrons produce excited states of Ar+ which subsequently reemit the el ectrons by autoionization.