Generalized oscillator strengths for inner-shell excitation of SF6 recorded with a high-performance electron energy loss spectrometer

The generalized oscillator strength profiles for S 2p, S 2s and F Is excite d and ionized states of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) are reported up to very h igh momentum transfer. These have been measured with a variable impact ener gy, variable scattering angle electron energy loss spectrometer, which is d edicated to studies of electric dipole (optically allowed) and non-dipole ( optically forbidden electric quadrupole and spin-exchange) inner shell elec tronic transitions of gases, and systematic measurements of their angular a nd impact energy distributions in order to derive generalized oscillator st rength profiles. In addition to presenting the SF6 results, we describe the design, construction and performance of the instrument, as well as data ac quisition and analysis procedures. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B .V. All rights reserved.