Electron spectroscopy and dynamics of HBr around the Br 1s-1 threshold

Abstract

A comprehensive electron spectroscopic study combined with partial electron yield measurements around the Br 1s ionization threshold of HBr at approximately equal to 13.482 keV is reported. In detail, the Br 1s(-1) X-ray absorption spectrum, the 1s(-1) photoelectron spectrum as well as the normal and resonant KLL Auger spectra are presented. Moreover, the L-shell Auger spectra measured with photon energies below and above the Br 1s(-1) ionization energy as well as on top of the Br 1s(-1)sigma* resonance are shown. The latter two Auger spectra represent the second step of the decay cascade subsequent to producing a Br 1s(-1) core hole. The measurements provide information on the electron and nuclear dynamics of deep core-excited states of HBr on the femtosecond timescale. From the different spectra the lifetime broadening of the Br 1s(-1) single core-hole state as well as of the Br(2s(-2),2s(-1)2p(-1),2p(-2)) double core-hole states are extracted and discussed. The slope of the strongly dissociative HBr 2p(-2)sigma* potential energy curve is found to be about -13.60 eV angstrom(-1). The interpretation of the experimental data, and in particular the assignment of the spectral features in the KLL and L-shell Auger spectra, is supported by relativistic calculations for HBr molecule and atomic Br.