Discrete structure in the 4d photoabsorption spectrum of antimony and its ions

The 4d inner-shell absorption spectra of Sb, Sb+, Sb2+ and Sb3+ have been o btained with the dual-laser-produced plasma technique. Discrete structure h as been observed in the 30-40 eV region and identified as originating from 4d-5p transitions by comparison with the results of Hartree-Fock calculatio ns performed within the superposition of configurations method. For compari son of theoretical and experimental spectra, 4d photoabsorption cross secti ons were calculated which took non-radiative decay rates into account. It w as found to be necessary to include absorption from excited states of the g round configurations, especially in the higher ionization stages. Synthetic spectra, which allowed for thermal lower state population distributions, w ere produced and these are in agreement with the experimental data.