Photoelectron-Auger electron coincidence spectroscopy of free molecules: new experiments

Photoelectron-Auger electron coincidence spectroscopy probes the dicationic states produced by Auger decay following the photoionization of core or inner valence levels in atoms, molecules or clusters. Moreover, the technique provides valuable insight into the dynamics of core hole decay. This paper serves the dual purpose of demonstrating the additional information obtained by this technique compared to Auger spectroscopy alone as well as of describing the new IPP/FHI apparatus at the BESSY II synchrotron radiation source. The distinguishing feature of the latter is the capability to record both the photoelectron and Auger electron with good energy and angle resolution, for which purpose a large hemispherical electrostatic analyser is combined with several linear time-of-flight spectrometers. New results are reported for the K-shell photoionization of oxygen (O2) and the subsequent K-VV Auger decay. Calculations in the literature for non-coincident O2 Auger spectra are found to be in moderately good agreement with the new data.