Photoion Auger-electron coincidence measurements near threshold

The vacancy cascade which fills an atomic inner-shell hole is a complex process which can proceed by a variety of paths, often resulting in a broad distribution of photoion charge states. We have measured simplified argon photoion charge distributions by requiring a coincidence with a K-LL or K-LM Auger electron, following K excitation with synchrotron radiation, as a function of photon energy, and report here in detail the argon charge distributions coincident with K-L{sub 1}L{sub 23} Auger electrons. The distributions exhibit a much more pronounced photon-energy dependence than do the more complicated non-coincident spectra. Resonant excitation of the K electron to np levels, shakeoff of these np electrons by subsequent decay processes, double-Auger decay, and recapture of the K photoelectron through postcollision interaction occur with significant probability. 17 refs.