Origin of the satellites in the high resolution KLL Auger spectra of the 3d metals, Cu and Ni, and their alloys

The understanding of the structure of high energy Auger spectra in metals and alloys of practical interest is relevant for studying solid state effects on core potentials, charge transfer and localization in these systems. In previous work evidence was found for the presence of intrinsic satellites in the LMM Auger spectra of 4d metals. Here we report the results of a study of the satellite structure identified in the high resolution KLL spectra of 3d metals Cu, Ni and some of their alloys. KLL spectra excited by Cu X-rays from polycrystalline Cu, Cu-noble metal and Ni-Fe alloy samples, were measured by a high luminosity hemispherical electron spectrometer. The satellite structures revealed in the spectra are compared to the structures obtainable on the basis of the spectator vacancy model. For the case of these metals and alloys, our results show that the KLL satellites can be attributed to intra-atomic 3d shake-up processes.