The Fine Structure of the X-ray Absorption Edge in the K-Series of Argon and its Possible Interpretation

Abstract

As is well known, X-ray absorption phenomena may be characterised in the following manner: In general the absorption decreases with decreasing wave-length of the X-rays. A sudden increase of absorption, however, takes place at some definite wave-lengths (‘absorption edges’) characteristic for the absorbing element in question. Each of those absorption edges is connected with the removal of an electron from a corresponding sub-group of electrons in the atom. As for the heavier elements there are one sub-group of electrons in the K-shell, three in the L-shell, five in M-shell, we might expect the existence of one K-absorption edge, three L-edges, five M-edges. Such edges have really been found for several elements by different workers.