The C 1s Auger decay spectrum of : an analysis of the core-excited states

Auger spectra of the molecule have been measured at various photon energies corresponding to the excitation of a C 1s electron into the valence and Rydberg orbitals. The decay spectrum at the resonance shows one relatively weak participator transition that involves the bonding orbital. Extra features observed at kinetic energies higher than the spectator transitions are tentatively attributed to Auger decay in fragments which are produced by dissociation of the core-excited molecule. Core-excited Rydberg states are found to decay almost exclusively via spectator transitions. The use of the ratio participator-to-total decay as a probe for the strength of valence-Rydberg orbital mixing is called into question.