Influence of host matrices on krypton electron binding energies and KLL Auger transition energies

TL;DR

This study measures how host matrices affect krypton electron binding energies and Auger transition energies, revealing small shifts and providing experimental data alongside theoretical calculations for different host environments.

Contribution

It provides new experimental measurements of krypton electron binding and Auger energies in different host matrices and compares them with multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculations.

Findings

Krypton binding energies are slightly lower in evaporated Rb compared to platinum.

Measured Auger transition energies in krypton are around 10.84 keV.

Host matrix influences on electron energies are quantified and modeled.

Abstract

The low-energy electron spectra emitted in the radioactive decay of the $^{83}$Rb and $^{83}$Sr isotopes were measured with a combined electrostatic electron spectrometer. Radioactive sources used were prepared by ion implantation of $^{83}$Sr into a high purity polycrystalline platinum foil at 30 keV and by vacuum-evaporation deposition of $^{83}$ Rb on the same type of foil. From the measured conversion electron spectra, the electron binding energies (referenced to the Fermi level) for the K, L$_1$ , L$_2$ , L$_3$ , M$_1$ , M$_2$, and M$_3$ shell/subshells of krypton in the platinum host were determined to be 14 316.4(12), 1 914.3(9), 1 720.3(9), 1 667.6(9), 281.5(9), 209.6(13), and 201.2(15) eV, respectively, and those for the evaporated layer were observed to be lower by 0.7(1) eV. For both host matrices, values of 2.3(2), 4.6(2), 1.7(2), 1.3(2), and 3.2(3) eV were obtained for the krypton K, L$_1$ , L$_2$ , L$_3$ , and M$_1$ natural atomic level widths, respectively. The absolute energies of 10 838.5(9) and 10 839.5(10) eV were measured for the KL$_2$L$_3$ ($^{1}$D$_2$) Auger transition in krypton implanted in Pt and generated in the evaporated rubidium layer, respectively. A value of 601.0(8) eV was measured for the energy difference of the KL$_2$L$_3$ ($^{1}$D$_2$) transitions in Rb and Kr in the Pt host. Multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculations of the krypton KLL transition energies and intensities were also performed.